I Don't Like Sleeping Alone
by mysteryrogue29
Summary: ROMY In July a guarded Mississipi girl was supposed to kill a charming Cajun but she didn't do it. Months later the two are reunited leading them into a path that brings their lives together as one overcoming the struggles that attack them at every turn.
1. I Don't Like Sleeping Alone

_The bar was called Cajun Spice just on the outskirts of The Big Easy. The glow from Cajun Spice was the only thang lightin up the streets on this breezy July night. It was a rickety ol' building that has withstood past an' present bar fights an' tonight was no exception. Ah could hear glasses clinkin, laughter, mudslingin words, an' punches being thrown as Ah made mah way into the bar. Ah was hopin' no one would recognize me as a non regular an' more of just a pretty face. Somethin Ah ain't used to. Ah usually hide behind mah black makeup an' everyone is afraid to come a foot near me, but tonight mah dark makeup was absent from mah eyes and lips. Tonight Ah was hopin' to be a distraction. Ah still tried to cover up a majority of my skin, but didn't really care about anyone touchin me. It'd just be that much easier._

_No one gave me a second glance as Ah entered the establishment. Everyone was busy drinkin, talkin, an' fightin their way through this Friday night. (Life in the bayou for yah.) It was easy to find my target who was brooding on a bar stool in the far corner of the bar. He'd never know what hit him. Ah don't know why anyone would want him dead, but it really ain't mah place to ask. Ah had a job to do. Ah strolled up next to him tryin to muster up flirtacious behavior best Ah could though he was pretty cute so that wouldn't be too hard. _

_"Hey Cajun, you wanna buy me a drink?"_

_His long brown hair was coverin his face like a curtain as his head hung low, but now he looked up at me an' Ah knew he was the one Ah was lookin for. His red eyes were like rubies in a pool of oil. They were... beautiful. His eyes sharpened as he examined me. Then he grinned, "Sure."_

_"I'll have what you're havin sugah." Not that either of us were of the legal age to drink._

_"Tequila it is. Though at dis time of night you might end up wit de worm."_

_"Its true miss. De last shot has dat lil worm in there," the barkeep confirmed, "But I'll fish it out for yah if you'd like."_

_"Nah, I will take the worm." Boldness usually pays off in mah experience._

_"Really?" The barkeep's eye's widen in suprised._

_"Yeah, sure. Why the hell not?"_

_"Well, alright den." The barkeep eagerly poured me a shot of tequila._

_"Oh, I gotta see dis," the Cajun said suprised._

_I really hope I can pull this off. This might not be the best time to have my first shot of tequila, "Here goes." My lips touched the glass an' my head leaned back, one swig an' the golden liquid disappeared. Worm an' all._

_"Dat was pretty damn spectaculaire if I do say so myself. Dere's no foolin' 'round wit you cherie. I can tell. Mi nom est Remy." He brushed mah hair back from my face. His fingers barely touched mah cheek but that would be enough to knock this Cajun out cold, but he just smiled. A blissfully innocent smile. He didn't know about mah powers, but if he did he'd know that this was a miracle. I have never felt the touch of anotha human bein' in a long while. Too long. Ah stopped breathin. The only thang Ah desired in that moment was for it tah never end._

_Ah don't know what came over me. Somethin that was impossible is now possible an' maybe Ah just want to test my limits. Maybe it was the tequila or maybe it was just him an' those ruby red eyes that enticed me so._

_Ah don't know what came over me that night in the bar but Ah kissed that Cajun and he kissed me back. _

_That night seemed so long ago..._

September rolled around bringin me into mah sophomore year at Bayville High School. Gosh, Ah wish Ah was a million miles away from here. Or at least fast forward to graduation. The bell had just rung as a warnin to get to class an' Ah was already in hell. Jean Grey and Duncan Matthews were makin' out in the hallway right next to mah locker as if they didn't have anywhere else to show their unwaverin affection. It was almost purposefully flaunted Ah swear. Jean Grey, the perfect lil prep the world eva did see. Her long red hair always flowing so flawlessy... her green eyes shimmering in perfection... its sickening. Jean has quite the impressive resume: Junior class president, star of the soccer an' track teams, datin the star quarter back and all around A student. Maybe Ah wouldn't hate her so much if she wasn't in my face all the time. Her an' her X-men possy are always so high an' mighty thinkin' they know whats best. Ah could drain the life outta her right now if she didn't read mah thoughts in her mind first, but oh how Ah wish she could just disappear. Everywhere Ah go she seems to be there. Like now. Ah was either gonna throw up or blow up in an angry rage, but instead Ah ignored them. Took the high road an' just past 'em by as if they didn't even exist. That'll show 'em.

Just when Ah thought that maybe, just maybe, this day could go on as normal Scott Summers blocks mah way into mah chem class.

"Hey, Rogue. Do you have chem with Dr. McCoy too?"

"Yeah." Obviously thats why Ah am walkin' into this classroom.

"Its cool that we have a class together."

"Ah guess." I saw him glance behind me to Jean and Duncan's intimate postion on the wall of lockers. "Hurts to see her swappin' spit with someone else huh? Especially Duncan."

"Yeah... it does suck. Am I that obvious?"

"To everyone but her sugah. Its really a sad display."

He tried to play it off, "Yeah, well... anyway Rogue I just wanted to ask you to really give the X-men another chance. I think we'd be a great fit for you."

"Uh huh..." Okay, want to know a secret? Ah kinda... well Scott Summers... he is cute right? Ah mean he has got that I'm-too-perfect thang goin on but he is cute. Ah should slap mahself silly for even thinkin such a thang, but maybe its just the glasses. They're mysterious. Kinda remind me of mah gloves.

"I know high school stuff is hard and being a mutant trying to live day to day is even harder, but Professor X can help you."

"Just like he has helped you?" Scott was still forced to wear his sunglasses everyday cuz of his uncontrollable mutant power. Ah'm in the same boat. Ah doubt there is any salvation.

"One day I will be able to control it-"

"You really think that? You really think that the Professor can help you?" He paused revealing his doubt. Who knew the fearless leader Scott Summers had doubts. "Exactly. You should get to class now. Don't want to ruin you're perfect attendance." Yeah that too. He is a goody two shoes. Maybe Ah just crush on him cuz he ain't like me. He so ain't mah type an' Ah know that. Maybe in anotha life Ah could be a Jean Grey an' get the guy.

Scott didn't debate me any further.

...

The day progressed and I only had one more class until I get outta here for the day! What a relief. Advanced French was going to be a piece of cake, trust me. After lunch Ah trecked to my locker on the other side of campus before mozying along to mah French class upstairs when I bumped into an all too familiar face.

"Excusez-moi," His ruby reds caught my eye level. I froze. "Dis is de french class, non?"

I spoke tenatively, "Yeah..."

"Do I know you from somewhere chere?"

"Uh, no..." He doesn't remember me? Wow. WOW! As if that weekend in New Orleans never happened. Wait... as if it never happened. This could be good. Great, actually.

"You look mighty familier. I just can't seem to place you."

Well, I guess I do look alot different compared to that night months ago. Mah black eye shadow was laid on a bit too thick today. But he doesn't know who I am? He doesn't know who I am... This is great! Ah have got to keep this up. I tried my best to hide my heavy Mississippi accent, "Well, you are mistaken." Wow, who knew Ah had the capability of speakin perfect English? _I_ mean speakin_g_.

"Yeah, I guess so considerin' dat I'm new here."

"Perhaps we should enter into the classroom... now."

"Hah, yeah I guess we should." He motioned for me to enter first. Ah took my regular seat at the back of the room as Ah do in all my classes. An' the Cajun sits next to me! Oh my gosh... what the heck is he doin here? Forty-five minutes an Ah will be outta here. Just keep calm. Don't say anythin'. He doesn't know who you are an' there ain't no reason for him to find out. Oh shit.

The teacher called out attendance, "Anna-Marie?" Don't answer. Don't answer. Ah put my head into my desk and stole a look at Remy. He was lookin' at me too an' I knew the gig was up. Ah didn't know what else to do so I ran out of the room. Can you blame me? Ah wasn't expectin' the Cajun to show up here in New York! Oh shoot... Mystique is goin to have a hissy fit.

Ah ran out into the hall, but Remy followed me. "What de hell are you doin here? I thought you said you were from Mississippi!"

"Ah... Ah am from Mississippi, but Ah have lived here for the past three months. What about you! What the heck are you doin here?"

"I just moved here."

"Obviously. Wait... are you livin in the Brotherhood mansion?" Is this seriously happening? Ah thought Mystique would go crazy after she found out Remy is still alive. There is only two ways this can go down. Either this is gonna bite me in the ass or it could all work out.

"How do you know about dat?"

"I'm a mutant too."

"What! You are?"

"Yeah..."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Why would I lie about that?"

"Well, its somet'in you probably should have mentioned dat first night in New Orleans."

"That-"

"I never thought I'd see you again. I barely recognize you in dis get up," he said as he examined me from head to toe.

"It isn't a get up. Its how Ah dress, thank you very much."

"Its just dat first night when I saw you..."

"That night never happened okay? That whole weekend never happened."

"Why would you say dat?"

"Its just... we're in New York now. Its different. We are different."

"You really just want us to have a clean slate? Be... friends? Why can't we just pick up where we left off?"

"Because that seems lahke a life time ago." More like a dream. "Pick up from what? We barely know each other."

"I know you chere."

"Remy, just stop it. Can we please go back tah French class so I can get over this horrible day?"

"Yeah, sure. Friends huh?"

"Friends."

xxx

Ah was back to the sanctity of the Brotherhood mansion after a drudgingly awful first day of mah tenth grade year. This wasn't the first place Ah thought I'd feel comfortable in considerin there are a bunch a rowdy teenage boys messin' around the house that won't shut up, but either was I was so happy to be in my room. Ah collapsed. Ah was so drained. Not neccesarily tired, but literally like the life was sucked out of meh. Bayville does that to a girl like me. Classes are depressin enough without having those Xgeeks stalkin me throughout the day. Hi, I'm (prissy perfect) Jean. You know the Xmen are always here for you... You're Rogue, right? My name is (stupid) Kitty. I just transferred to Bayville too, but I'm a freshman... why can't they just shut up! Its one thing that they attacked me (which they keep denying) an' now they expect me on their team? "Like yeah right." Gosh that Kitty girl erks the heck outta meh.

Dinner came around and we had the usual special: pizza. Remy was oddly absent at the meal. I hadn't seen him since the end of French class when he just bolted. I thought it coulda been cuz of me. No explanations, no nothing. Was he mad at me?

Ah can't believe he is here. In New York. With me. Ah never thought I'd see him again either after that weekend in New Orleans and here we are. An' now we're gonna be friends? As if that is even possible? Ah don't know why my powers were gone that weekend, but it had to been a fluke cuz mah powers have worked plenty of times after that.

I'm suprised Mystique hasn't come to kill me yet for disappointin one of her clients. She knows he's here. Magneto may be a figure head of this operation, but she is the real tough mama jama. She must have been furious when she found I didn't get the job done. But I couldn't kill him. It wasn't so easy like the others before and after. Had Ah gone soft? Maybe. Or maybe it was just him. That sweet summer night when everything was perfect. When everything was okay, safe. When everything felt right. When everything was the what normal should be. That sweet summer night...

After tryin mah best tah steal a few slices of pepperoni to devour Ah took a shower which I knew would be available. (I don't know how I have survived this long in a house full o' boys.) Mah short hair dried quikly and Ah crawled into bed even though it was only seven. I lay in darkness alone until mah Cajun came in to join me.

"You still up?"

Ah wanted to ask where he'd been, as if I had any right, but instead a simple: "Yeah."

"Would it be weird if I slept in here? I am sharing a room wit Blob and Toad and well... they're a blob and a toad."

"Hah, sure Cajun." He took a step into my room when a warnin signal flashed in mah head. "You just... haf tah be careful around me."

"What do you mean?"

"You can't touch mah skin."

"What do yah mean?"

"Exactly what I said."

"You t'ink I'm gonna jump you or somet'in? You said friends an' I'm a man of my word... most of de time."

"No, its mah powers. If you touch mah skin you could end up in a coma or... die." Well, that surely wasn't going to sell the idea of him sharin a bed with me which I desperately wanted. I wanted to feel his skin. I wanted to be back in that first night. But that was impossible. I knew that. And I definetly realized the lack of possibility.

"But that night in New Orleans-"

"An exception." For some unknown reason.

"Sounds like a challenge," he ventured.

"Remy..." He shuffled out of the room and a moment later arrived with more layers on to cover most of his skin.

"Are you sure you're okay wit dis? We are supposed to be 'just friends'."

I said something I knew from the moment I left New Orleans. The next night when I had to sleep alone in my new town I realized: "I don't like to sleep alone."

"I don't either." Remy cuddled up next to me, careful not to come in direct contact with me. He just accepted my lack of touch. He didn't question it. I don't know if he was happy with it but he was here right? Feeling his warmth was enough for me. For now. "Can I touch your hair?"

Suddenly we were in whispers, "Yeah... you can touch my hair."

He stroked mah hair softly, the strands flowing in between his fingers. "How was your day?" Such a simple question. Was laying in bed with him this easy? He plays with my hair and we talk about our days? It seemed too... nice. I could smell the New Orleans breeze as if were were back in those leisure July days.

"Tiring. Bayville is a downer."

"Was Scott Summers an ex boyfriend of yours or somet'in?"

"Why do you ask?" Don't blush. I know its dark, but don't blush. Scott Summers askin about me?

"He came up to me after our French class. I guess he saw us talkin' and wanted to know what was up."

Thats weird. How long was that conversation? Is that why Remy was gone for so long? "Probably just wonderin' if you wanted to join his cult."

"Cult?"

"The X-men. They are anotha group of mutants."

"Really? Didn't know dere was so many of us out dere."

"Yeah, you'd be amazed." Bayville should be renamed Mutant High.

We stayed up talkin. Just talkin. About Bayville and about the teachers we shared... what we ate at lunch... We talked but we ignored the past. Our seperate pasts and combined. Remy was so unaware. He never asked why I was in New Orleans. If he did, would I tell him the truth? Not that I know much of it. I just got the orders.

Those troubling thoughts escaped me as Remy held me in his arms. I had never fallen asleep so quickly, so serene.

...

In the middle of the night I woke up in the darkness. I tried to make out the figure in the night, but was unable to. Remy's arm was still around me, but there was a frightening snake like figure slithering in the black. The shape took form of the woman with glowing yellow eyes.

"So, this is why you couldn't finish the job."

"Mystique..." Our voices were hushed.

"You are lucky that Magneto has found use for him. He feels Gambit shows promise."

"What do you want?"

"Another job."

"I'm sick of doing your dirty work."

"Oh, come on. One more for mommy?"

"Don't you dare pull that line on me."

"Fine. It pays good."

"You haven't paid meh for the last three jobs."

"Technically you didn't finish the last one."

"They think he is dead, don't they?"

"Besides the point my dear."

"Whatever. Who is it this time?"

"Carol Danvers."

I snuck out in the dead of night for, what I wanted to be, my last assasination.

* * *

Mysteryrogue: So I don't know what this was or where its going. I just couldn't get it out of my head so I had to type it up and share it with you.

First chap, whatd u think?

I usually have Remy be older than Rogue but I thought it'd be interesting to see them interacting together in highschool at the same age.

Trust me, this is a ROMY so they won't stay "just friends" but its an interesting dynamic to see their jealousy played out. Cuz their will be loads of jealousy. ;)

The intro of how they met is a huge part of the story line and will be addressed in the nxt few chaps to figure out what really happened that night in New Orleans after the kiss at Cajun Spice. Who wants Remy dead? Why were Rogue's powers awol? What happened after the kiss?

Also what do you think of the accents? I kept them light bc sometimes in stories I can barely understand what the sentences are saying! But I might take the accent away all together as Romy spends their lives in NY. Its just easier that way writing yah know?


	2. Running

_It literally took my breath away when our lips touched. I barely knew this Cajun! What was I doing? What was I thinking? I guess I wasn't thinking. I took advantage of the moment and was living without regrets. In those moments I was just a girl and he was just a boy. That kiss shattered all the walls that protected me from human emotions. A human life. A life with love and affection. A life with caring and promise._

_The kiss eventually ended, but it was just the beginning._

_"We should go somewhere, get outta here." I offered unsure of his reaction._

_"Where?" He replied eagerly and my doubt faded away._

_"Anywhere."_

_His devilish smile was somethang I'd neva forget. Ah wish I could say Ah love you to the beautiful Cajun right then and there in that moment, but I didn't know how. _

_"Lets go." He held my hand as we left the bar and it was the best feelin in the world havin someone right next to you._

...

"Where am I?" I wondered aloud.

I woke up in a foreign place but to a familiar face. Even though he was standing near the door, I didn't feel trapped. I felt saved.

"You're in the mansion. You have been in a coma for three days now. The Professor helped you."

"You guys... helped me?"

"We aren't the bad guys here, but you already know that kid."

"Logan, why are you a member of the X-men? A man with your reputation..." A few weeks ago the X-men stalked me out to try an' get me on their team. It turned into a bad horror movie as they chased meh 'round town. Everyone was attacking me, the next minute tryin' to be a friend. When I first saw Logan I was too tired to run away. If they were gonna kill meh Ah was okay with that cuz Ah was tired of runnin'. He introduced himself cautiously, waitin for mah reaction.

_"Ah don't want to run anymore." I was practically cryin'._

_"Yeah, runnin' sure does get tiring. We aren't here to hurt you. We just want to talk to you."_

_"Violence isn't really swayin me to your side. Ya'll don't seem tah want tah talk."_

_"We aren't here to hurt you," Logan reassured. "It must be tough living with what you are. I know the feeling. A million different things are rushing through your mind and you don't know what to do with em so you run. I've been running all my life. Running away and running toward something that I am not to sure of now. I get it."_

_He was saying all the right things. I might have fell into his arms in that second if I didn't feel so scared. "What do you want with me?"_

_"Just want to help you. Everyone has got to stop running sometime." Then Storm blasted a lightning bolt next to my feet, barely missing me. Ah ran back to the Brotherhood mansion and neva looked back. _

"Finally stopped running, finally picked a side."

"Well, th-" I was going to thank him for whatever happened to me, but Remy walked into the room.

He was carrying a half eaten hamburger in one hand but dropped it when he saw me conscious. "Rogue? You're alright!"

"Yeah, just a headache."

"You are Rogue, ain't yah?"

"Who else would I be?"

"Carol Danvers."

My heart sunk. "Oh..."

"Glad you ain't her anymore. Don't know what I'd do without yah cherie."

"Oh, you'd probably just charm the Carol Danvers me."

"Maybe..." His eyes silently became solemn erasing our flirty banter. "Rogue, I thought you'd never wake up."

"Why did you bring me here? What happened?"

"I didn't know what else to do. A week ago, when we fell asleep in your room, I woke up an' you were gone. Two days passed by before you came back to de house. You weren't yourself. You were Carol Danvers. You didn't know why you were dere but you knew it was home. You started attackin us but den you just passed out. We tried to get in contact wit Mystique but wit no luck. De boys an' I didn't know where else to take you so we brought you here."

"Well... that makes sense." How could I not remember anythang? Ah lost a whole week of my life. Of school. Damn Principal Darkholme already hates me and now I missed a few days of school in the first week of the new year. She was going tah kill me. And where the hell is Mystique? She just left me alone?

"How do you two know each other? You and Carol." Wolverine asked. "Since when have you been a member of the U.S airforce?"

"Rogue, what is he talkin about?" Remy questioned.

"I..."

"Carol Danvers is also Ms. Marvel. You knew that already though. Held on a little too long, she is in a coma since you attacked her. She ain't wakin' up an' now you got a lil piece of her in your mind for the rest of your life."

I was so confused. My headache was hurting more and more as Wolverine spoke. A loud ringing flooded my brain. "How do you know all that?"

"The Professor did some excavating in that brain of yours. Cleaned it out the best he could considering that it was a mess."

Logan was starting to talk as if I owed him anything. As if Ah owed the X-men anything. Knowing that this Professor was in mah head was violation enough. "Tell him I said thank you," I spoke with a bitter condesending tone. "Remy lets get outta here."

...

The car ride was awkward. I knew Remy had a thousand questions tah ask but he stayed mum until we reached the Brotherhood boarding house.

"So whats up wit dis Carol Danver's chick?"

Could I trust him? Could I tell him something so dark and twisted? If I told him, would he look at me with fear? I held it off, "Remy... I'm so tired. Can we please just-"

"Who is dat on de porch?"

"Cody..." I opened the door to the Jeep and ran over to Cody before realizing that Ah must be a damn fool for thinkin this was real, but then he smiled and I knew he wasn't a mirage. "Cody Robbins, that really you?" My heart was racing.

"Anna, I sure am glad to see you."

We hugged, carefully. "What... Ah mean _how_..."

He was a football star at our Mississipi high school. I was a freshman and he was a junior. For whatever reason I caught his eye. We had a class together and we would talk. Small talk really, I didn't think anything of it. He was cute, sure, but Ah didn't even know that he knew mah name til he invited me to a football party in honor of their state championship win earlier this year in May. Ah said yes not knowing what would happen that night.

We danced and drank a lil and found time to be alone where he asked if he could kiss me. It was so sweet that he asked, like a true southern gentleman. I realized that I could love him in that moment. I said yes. A week before my fifteenth birthday I was in a happy bubble where everythang seemed perfect. Lil ol' me and the star quarterback. So cliche. So perfect. And it was too perfect. Something had to come along and pop my bubble, shockin me into a reality Ah wasn't ready for. An innocent peck of our lips, my first kiss, turned into a hauntin nightmare.

"I woke up. In June... I woke up."

"Rogue, who is this?" Remy spoke and I nearly forgot he was even there.

"This is Cody... Cody Robbins."

"Yeah, got dat already."

"He's an ol'..." Well what was he exactly? Not my boyfriend. Once you put some one in a coma I think you lose that hope. "He is a friend from Mississipi. Remy, do you think Cody and I could talk alone for a second?" I'm sure Cody has so many questions.

"Yeah... sure." Remy wearily went into the house and I knew he'd be listenin in but I didn't mind. Just less that I'd haf tah tell him later.

"You woke up," Ah repeated.

"Yeah... it was sad not wakin' up to you. When I heard you skipped town..."

"I didn't know what else to do."

"I'm fine now. Healthy as a horse."

"Thats good..." Why was this so weird?

"I came here as soon as I got enough money saved up cuz I heard you were in New York. Irene told me where you were stayin."

Why would she tell him? Did he know everything already? I didn't know but I was glad to see him. Logan was right. Ah was runnin away from my past. I hurt Cody and I neva thought I'd get over that. It was the start of everythang that went wrong in my life. But here he is standing tall. "I'm glad to see that you're alright."

"Anna... what happened? I haven't kissed alotta girls 'sides you and that never happened before."

He had a right to know. "Somethang is... wrong with me."

"What do you mean?"

"If anyone touches mah skin... bad things happen. Trust meh, I didn't know about that before I kissed you. Ah wouldn't have kissed you if I did know."

"I'm kinda glad you did though. It let me know that you liked me."

"And the coma?"

"A minor setback."

"Hah, wow Cody."

"But, I still don't really get it... get you. How did it happen? Why does your skin do that to people? Do you have some disease or somethang?"

It feels like a disease. Like I should be put in a bubble to avoid all human life. Do Ah tell him I'm a mutant? What would he think? What would he do and say? I did put him in a coma. He is a smart kid. Why did Ah think for a second that he could be in New York just to see me, just to be with me again. I think he can handle it. Besides, its only a matter of time before the word mutant becomes a part of daily vocabulary. There is too many of us to be kept a secret. "I'm a... mutant."

"A mutant? Like... an alien?"

"No..." Not that I know of. "It means that mah DNA is different from yours. Somethang got coded wrong in my DNA giving me special abilities though mine seems more lahke a curse. Cody, you can't tell anyone about me being a mutant or mutants in general. It could be bad for you."

"I get it. Ah can keep a secret. But all this mutant talk kinda makes sense."

"What do yah mean?"

"When I woke up, I got alotta vistors askin meh about yah. One of them was from some government organization that I neva heard of asked where you were. I didn't know, so I didn't tell them not that I would have anyway."

Must be S.H.I.E.L.D. During my first jobs S.H.I.E.L.D agents came to stop me. Or attempt to stop me. They realized that they couldn't and decided it be betta tah have me on their side, but they don't get that I don't have a side. Just lookin out for myself and me alone. "Ignore them. Let me know if they give you any trouble."

"The other one you may be more interested in. A Mr. Worthington?"

"I neva heard of him."

"He said he knows what happened to me, who and why. He said he could help you and that if I eva see yah again to give you his card." He handed me a shimmery business card that read: Worthington Industries. The Future is Here and We Can Help.

"What did he mean, 'he can help me'?"

"Ah don't know, but look its here in New York."

Worthington Industries, whoever they were, would have to be dealt with later. "I care more about why you're here. I'm glad that you're here, but I'm a bit confused at how... understandin you are."

"I like you Anna. I just wanted answers, but more so Ah just wanted to see you again."

"Wow." I didn't mean to speak aloud my shock.

"I can only stay for one more day. My parents don't even know I'm here. They'd probably kill me if they did. I said I was stayin at a friend's house but that excuse won't last long. I don't know what came over me that I just flew on a plane tah come see yah, but here I am."

"You've neva been to New York huh? We should make the most of your time then," I said not really knowing what that entailed.

"Ann, what are you doing here in New York anywho?"

"I just... had tah get away."

"You left your nice house in Mississippi with Irene, for this?"

"I..."

"I mean... I met your roommates. They don't seem like the best fellas tah be hangin with. What are you doin with these losers?"

...

"So you're getting back together with him?" Remy asked.

My time with Cody was over. My past left back to Mississippi and left me in a limbo for the present. Ah couldn't go back to Mississippi. I couldn't live that life Ah dreamed of. I know it would be impossible to go back home and be with Cody as if nothin. But Cody and Ah did agree that we want each other in our lives, we just don't know how. Its not often that Cody or I could just fly around tah see each other. My life was different now. I was different. Becoming a mutant was somethang I couldn't control. Ah've accepted that now.

"I don't know Rem."

"Well, I have news then. Magneto wants me to go to Genosha wit him."

"And you are?"

"Yeah, whats de problem? You have your Mississippi boyfriend, I gotta have my own life too."

"Okay..." Odd that he mentions Cody. "But I don't know if you know... what you're getting yourself into. Magneto offered me a position at his right hand when Mystique first brought me here, but I said no and Mystique agreed. So if Mystique doesn't think its a good idea then it probably ain't."

"Magneto is offerin' me a chance to step up. I will only be gone a week or so den I'll be back."

"Sure you will..." I hope so.

Remy left and I had to sleep alone.

Maybe thats what life is, where everybody is just runnin hopin there is somethin better on the other side.

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Lots of flash backs but they vital to the story. Like the fact that Logan was the first one to get in her head which is importante for later. And still deciphering what happened between Remy and Rogue.

Rogue is finding out that the Xmen aren't that bad after all, considering that they helped her when she was in an altered persona.

And Remy left :/ dnt worry though he will be here for the next chap.

Oh and Cody! Whatd u think of the chap?

Special Thanks to Anana and Ace of Cyberspace for being my first reviews! :D :D :D :D so happy! :D

And also to: Wolffette, Renting, ATLANTIS6405, tenchi13, RisiGurlRox and Anana for adding me to your Story Alert and/or Fav Story! You guys rock!

Keep reading and reviewing pleeeeez! I love feedback!


	3. Don't Know Which Way To Turn

"Hey there Roguey!"

"Hi Blob... and Toad..."

"We just wanted to give you a welcome home present!" While I was innocently retrivin thangs from my locker, Blob and Toad decided to soak me with a bucket of dirty soapy water. Or at least I hope thats what it was.

"Hope you're havin fun as an Xgeek!"

Ah wanted to cry, but instead I kept my strength for as long as Ah could. "Yeah, Ah am actually! Haven't you guys eva wanted an actual life that didn't involve eating old slices of pizza stuck in between the couch cushions? Do you guys even want to graduate highschool or do you just want to stay in this petty existance?"

"I will stick with this life," Blob huffed.

"Yeah, 'sides then we'd have to follow rules!" Toad and Blob laughed as they left the hallway.

I thought I could just continue my day as if nothin had happened. Ah had one more class, thats it. Ah could get through this day without... damn it. Ah'm gonna cry. "Rogue? Whats wrong?" Ah heard the sweet melody of his voice.

"Remy... you're back."

"Yeah..." He held me even though I was drenched. "What happened? Why are you all wet? Was it Duncan and his loser football players?"

"No... it was Blob and Toad."

"What? Why would dey do dis to yah?"

"I became a part of the X-men."

"What! What de hell! I am gone for a few days and I get back and... why are you wit them?"

_"What are you doing with these losers?" _

Cody's question from the other week replayed in mah mind over an' over again. What was I doin' there? The Brotherhood was the rag tag team of nothings that didn't know what to do with themselves. The biggest heist of the week is stealing some kid's X-box then realizing Toad's slime got all over it so now its broken. What was the point. "Maybe the Professor could actually help me, is that so bad to to believe?"

"Its not bad. Its way too optimistic for a fille like you, but it ain't a bad t'ing."

"You're not mad?"

"Hey, as long as you're happy chere. Come on lets get to class. An' don't worry your pretty lil head about Blob and Toad. Dey will get whats comin tah them. I'm de boss now."

...

French was tenuous. Ah was trying tah help Remy catch up on the days he missed but then again I was behind too from my short time as Carol which still haunts me. Ah have only been in the mansion for three days but The Professor has already scheduled me for thirty minute sessions with him everyday. Sometimes Jean is there too, so she can better use her pyschic powers. Ah feel like a guinea pig for their amusement. Ah hated them in mah head. Ah feel like they are always swimmin' 'round in mah head. Its a scary feelin not to have any thoughts to your own. But I keep goin because maybe, just maybe, good things could happen tah me.

"So since your roomin wit the brainy X-men t'ink you could write my French essay?"

"It ain't an essay. Its one measly paragraph! You can't do that by yourself? You speak fluent French!"

"Fine, fine. You're right. Well, maybe we could do it together-"

"Who are those guys?" We exited the school and were walkin down the sidewalk when I noticed we were about tah run into some rough lookin fellas. One was a orange haired guy that looked like he was ADD. He had a skinny build and kinda reminded me of an old 80's rocker. The other one was colossal. He had short black hair in a crew cut and looked very "no nonsense."

"Oh, those are Mag's other Acolytes."

"Acoltye? Whats that?"

"Well, I dunno if I should be tellin you dis now that you ain't playin for our side."

"Oh, come on. You know Ah wouldn't say nothin."

"Well, we each have our own lil secrets. I still don't get what happened wit you and dat Carol chick."

Oh, right. "Its not like I'm keepin it from yah."

"Well you ain't sayin not'in."

"Why don't you intraduce meh tah your friends first."

"Can Remy finally come out an' play?" The orange haired one teased as we approached.

"Rogue, dis is Pyro and the big Russian there is Colossus."

"I talk," the Russian defended. He answered lahke a lil kid in that moment which is funny considerin his huge girth. "Its a pleasure to meet you Rogue. My name is Piotr."

"Nice tah meet yah," I smiled. "So what are you boys gonna do?"

"I dunno, probably just go back to the boarding house. Come with?"

"Yeah sure."

We walked home together and the Russian, I mean Piotr, and I started talkin'. He was so soft spoken. He was such a contradiction it almost made me laugh out loud but I kept my laughter at bay best Ah could. He was sweet.

We got back to the Brotherhood house and started playin games and drinkin a bit. Piotr and I kept talkin. I found out he just moved here from Russia. His accent is still thick, but speaks very proper English. Maybe I could learn a thang or two bout speakin right.

He is going to be going to Bayville as a senior. He says he loves the States so far, but he misses his family back home. I asked why he left them and he got quiet and responded vaguely, "I chose this life." I didn't press him further on the subject, but I silently wondered why he was pallin' around with Magneto. I knew Magneto could obviously use him when we talked about our powers, his are way cooler. His metallic skin is breath taking. I know I'm a mutant and am exposed to the secret world of super heroes but seein his skin was anotha story. It was so amazing that humans evolved into this.

The night winded down and I noticed Remy was absent from the mini party. I found him upstairs in my room.

"Hey, why'd you leave. You know the party is just gettin' started down there."

"Tired is all...So you and the Russian seem tah really hit it off huh? What happened to Cody?"

"Me and Cody are neva gonna work. You know that."

"You're not wit him anymore?"

"Nope. We talk, but friends is what we have agreed on."

"An' now you're gettin' wit de Russian? Dang, you work fast."

"Oh, hush!"

"You know dis is my room now? Its gettin' late. Shouldn't you be getting back to your mansion? Dey will be worried about yah breakin de rules."

"Was kinda hopin' Ah could spend the night with you. Ah... Ah missed yah."

He smirked. "Thought you'd neva ask. Come over here."

I slept soundly. I seem tah only be able to sleep this well when Ah am with Remy. What are we doin anyway? Pretendin as if those days never happened. Well, that was my stupid idea huh? I did miss him. What that means, I don't know. But I did miss him. I missed his smell and his voice. I missed his arms around me at night.. I hope he knows what he is doin' gettin wrapped up in Magneto's plans. Ah don't know what I'd do if I lost him for good, just when I was gettin used tah havin him back again.

...

The next morning, I woke up before Remy but Ah laid in bed until he did the same. It was calm.

Someone knocked on the door lightly. It slowly opened revealing the Russian, "I did not know if you would be... awake yet... Oh... you are in disposed. I will just... leave now."

I caught up with him, "Wait!"

"No, it is fine. I thought... well I don't know. It was nice talking to you yesterday and I thought... but I didn't know you are with Remy."

"I'm ain't."

"You are not?"

"No, I am not. Wanna go for breakfast or somethin?"

"Sure."

...

Hours later I arrive at the X mansion. I try to sneak in and I don't know why or if it was even possible. They probably already knew I didn't come home. I wasn't lookin forward to it either. I was not gonna sit still an' quiet for a lecture and besides that I hated my roommate anyway. They really expect me tah come home to her!

Her is Kitty Pryde.

"Hey! There you are! Where were you last night?"

"I was... out."

"I was worried! I didn't want you to like... get in trouble when you have only been here a few days."

"Yeah, well I am here now." I could someone be so bubbly this early in the mornin?

"I totally covered for you last night. Don't worry."

"You did?" Suprising.

"Yeah, Logan came in here and wanted to talk to you but I said you were in the shower."

"Nice save."

"Where were you really? You weren't hanging out with those losers were you?"

"Maybe."

"I think it is really cool that you joined the X-men. It takes a lot of courage to find the right path. God had a plan for you."

"Jesus christ, you're a Jesus freak." I cannot spend anotha minute in this room! Logan promised me my own room, but they are decorating it for me and until it gets settled I'm stuck with this one.

"By a 'Jesus freak' you mean I believe that Jesus will guide me on my path to heaven? Then yes I am."

"Okay then." Poof. "AHH! What the hell!"

"Kurt! You can't just pop in where ever or when ever you feel like it! I've been over this already!"

"How the heck did you get in here anyway?" I asked, baffled.

"Kurt is a teleporter," Kitty explained. "He is new here too like me and you."

"Very nice to meet you." He poofed again and hung from the light above our heads.

"Is he always this weird?"

"Yes. It is super annoying. Kurt! Get out of here! We have a Danger Room session in like five minutes! You need to go get ready!"

...

I could hear my fellow X-men arguing. No one was listening to Scott who was the leader of this fake mission. They were supposed to infiltrate a warehouse and rescue the person being held captive inside. That person was me, but the suprise was that I was a trick which made Scott furious when my ungloved hands touched his skin.

"I barely touched you, you big baby!"

"You could have killed me!"

"Stop whinin'! I wasn't gonna kill yah. If I wanted too, trust me Ah could. Plus it was only a few thoughts on how Jean looks in her-"

"Professor! This wasn't the point of the mission!"

Logan answered back from their viewing positions above, "Not every mission is going to be cut and dry kid. There are going to be kinks along the way. Obstacles to overcome an' all that."

"Yeah Scott. I am the enemy in more ways then one because apparently I'm the only one that can be the traitor in these faux missions. So what I killed people! So what that Ah used to be with the Brotherhood! Get over it! How the hell am I supposed to move on, be a better person, if you guys won't stop judgin me? The Brotherhood may have been a bunch of loser punks but at least they weren't fake like you high and mighty X-men."

Vacant stares filled the room.

I seem to be in this odd limbo. I don't want to be with the Brotherhood because they are a bunch of low lifes, lets face it. Where else would Ah go but down hangin with those fools. So I do the right thing and choose the X-men but they don't really give a damn about me do they? I'm so confused. I don't know what to think or do or where to go. So I go to him because he is the only one that is on my side. If only we could go back to New Orleans, back to sneaking into his house careful not to wake his dad. When I didn't have a care in the world.

_"Where are we goin'?"_

_"Back to my place, but we are gonna haf tah be real quiet."_

_..._

_"Shhhh!" He warned when I stepped on a creaky floor board as we made our way up the stair case in his house. He was smiling as he led me into his bedroom. Once inside, he closed the door and turned on the light._

_"So, this is your room huh?" I whispered._

_"Yup."_

_I dragged my fingers across his desk which had a mess of things on it. "Incubus huh?" I asked as I held up a CD. "Good first impression..." I looked at the rest of the room which was all very normal. Very messy (I was the same way), but very normal. He sat on the bed watching me observe. I turned off the light and we laid in bed together. The moonlight streamed in through his window illuminating the darkness._

_"I have never met a girl like you before chere. Its like a breath of fresh air."_

_No you haven't eva met a girl lahke me before..._

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Pretty much my take on the episode (which I forgot the name) from Xmen evo episode where Rogue first gets with the X-men.

More flashbacks of Rogue's night with Remy. She obviously didn't kill him like she was supposed to, but did she really fall in love?

Then there is the Piotr crushing going on possibly :D

Lovin the reviews dolls! Anana (by the way love the Taylor Kitsch pic on ur profile! swoooooon :D ) and ace!

Thanks to idontwritejustliketoread for adding me to your Story alert! And the rest of you too, don't think I forgot about yah :D

Love the support :D it keeps me going


	4. That Girl

_Ah kissed him. Ah couldn't seem to help myself. Was it the tequila? The Louisianna moon? Was it him and his sweet voice that sung to me? _Ah still don't know.

_"You know... we don't have to. If you don't want to."_

_And a gentleman to boot? "Do what?" Ah asked, tryin tah play coy._

_His answer was very straight forward. It was almost a little intimidatin'. He was so playful, but in a split second he changed. "What we're about to do."_

_"You don't want to?" Oh my gosh. Ah'm an idiot. Ah am throwin mahself at this guy and maybe he don't even want me! Well, he does want me. He wouldn't have taken me here if he didn't right? But whats worse is that Ah'm the girl that gets distracted by a guy. A cute guy, but still. How sad is that. Ah was here for a job, what was Ah doin' messin around with this? Gosh my head is spinnin. Ah don't know what to do. Am Ah gonna be that girl that sleeps with a guy she barely knows? That she doesn't love? Because Ah can't love him. Ah'm supposed to kill him. Is it just a job? Is it a job anymore or am Ah really invested in this. Invested in him. Toyin with the idea of a relationship? Invested for myself and not as a slave to my teenage hormones because thats what this is isn't it? I didn't think Ah could touch anotha human being after Cody and his... accident. And now this Cajun kisses me as if nothin. As if I was a normal girl without a curse. A girl that could focus on school and boyfriends and getting her permit just lahke everyone else. I wish I could be that girl. And tonight Ah could, couldn't Ah?_

_"I do, trust me." He laughed and it made him seem back to normal. Or what his normal was to me. "I'm just checkin."_

_Ah was gonna kill him anyway right? Might as well be honest with him. "Ah've neva done it before."_

_"Neither have I," He admitted. "But trust me, I know what to do. Hah, so if you want to... If it feels... right."_

_I thought about it. Ah mean really thought about it. This was a huge decision. A life alterin choice. What girl was I? "It feels right." And I meant it._

"Rogue? Are you okay?"

I woke up in the present day outta breath and burin up. "Ah'm fahne."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I took off my sweater which was an extra barrier between Remy an I. I felt a bit cooler. Ah'm really dreamin about him now? Ugh. "Ah'm gonna go home."

"Back to the mansion? Since when is that your home? After what you told me yesterday-"

"Ah just don't want to give them the satisfaction yah know? I don't want to run away. Ah wanna prove them wrong."

"Hah, well go get em."

...

I couldn't stay mad at the X-men for long. Ah got home and Jean introduced me to mah newly refurbished room. As if yesterday didn't even happen, but Ah wasn't really thinkin' of that now anyway. I was always movin around with Mystique, Ah remember that much of our time together. Then she dumped me with Irene. We migrated a bit too before finally landing in Mississippi and look what happened with that. After moving around so much I knew not to have any personal things. Just the basics and definetly no decorations or anythang like that. But now I am standing in my first real room.

"So, theres the bed. I hope you like the color scheme. I know its purple, but its actually a deep plum and... I thought you might like it. And your vanity over there... You have some new makeup brushes and stuff. There is a closet and a night stand that you can fill up with your things." I walked over to the closet where one item hung idley. "That's your uniform for Danger Room simulations and when we go on actual missions and stuff."

I couldn't even speak.

"I decorated it myself," Jean explained. "So I hope you like it."

You think Jean decoratin my room would be a bad thing. Which it was in a way. Of course the room looked beautiful and it was just my style. It was perfect. Of course it was because Jean was in charge of the whole thing. It makes me think of her as even more a goody two shoes but whatever. Why is she so damn nice? But it was also good in a way. It made it feel like home. My first home.

xxxx

The next day I was tryin to help Piotr, but he didn't seem to want it. I told the Prof about Piotr's situation with Magneto, how mysterious it is. The professor won't meddle, especially with Mags, but he did say he would help if he could. I don't hav any problem meddlin.

"If you just told me what was wrong, what Magneto has against yah, the X-men can help you. I promise it'd be okay."

"I do not know Rogue..."

"Come with meh tah talk tah the Professor. Whatever it is."

"Why are you trying to help me?"

"Cuz I've been there. I thought there was no way out, no other way tah live. But there is. The X-men are good people. They are keepin me away from Mystique and those losers best they can. They are really a family." Wow, that was weird to say. True and humbling, but still weird.

"Okay, I will go talk to this Professor only because you think it is the best thing to do."

"Good."

"You are positive you are not romantically... involved... with Gambit?"

"No..." I could almost blush. My skin is so pale it might give me away too soon.

"Rogue... I know that I barely know you, but I like you. I like spending time with you and talking. You are very... you are a very good person trying to help me out with my situation." He leaned in to kiss me. Or at least that what it seemed like. Was he about tah kiss meh?

"Piotr... my powers. I don't wanna suck the livin daylights outta yah."

"I trust you. Do you not trust me?"

"I trust yah." I guess. "But I didn't know you were a Russian with a death wish."

"Just close your eyes." I did as he commanded. A second later I felt his cold metallic lips pressed against mine. It sent shivers down my spine.

xxxx

"Hey, Rogue! We were all gonna head down to the beach, do you wanna come?" I had barely woken up on this sunny Saturday morning when Kitty (literally) popped her head into my room. The room may be great but privacy was certainly an issue.

"When, right now?"

"Yeah! The new guy Evan, who is like Storm's nephew or something, is new to Bayville and we we're gonna show him around a bit."

"Who is driving?"

"Well... I don't know. Logan said he would take us but this morning he disappeared like usual. Jean and Scott left for the mall... Oh well I'm sure Storm could take us."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Oh my gosh! This is awesome! We are gonna have so much fun! I know this spot that is perfect and no one else is there? Do you even have a bathing suit? Because of your... thing... I don't think you have one."

"Yeah, Ah got a bikini."

"Woah! NEVER would have expected that. Not just cuz of the powers thing but the goth thing. Do goths go to the beach?"

"I'm not goth." Do you think I wanted to dress like this all the time? Don't you think I wanted to be a normal girl who can wear shorts once and a while? Maybe a strapless dress? Do you know how long it takes me to put on this makeup and piercings? Well not today. Today I was gonna wear a bikini and Ah'm happy bout it.

"Right... Well, I'm so excited! I don't know which bikini I should wear. I have one but it shows a lil bit too much skin I think and I don't wanna be prancing around the sand worried about my-"

I pushed Kitty's head out of my wall, "Yeah. BYE!"

...

"Isn't it beautiful!"

"Yes it is," Kurt responded when we arrived at the shore line. But I don't think he was talking about the water.

"Drool much dude?" Evan teased.

"Okay, children. I will drop you off here. Please be careful," Storm advised.

"We will Auntie O. Thanks for driving us."

"You're welcome. I will be back around later in the afternoon to pick you up. Kitty do you have your cell phone?"

"Like, yeah, duh. Of course."

"Okay."

We exited the car and made our way to the beach. Ah laid out a few towels for each of us while the boys unloaded some toys as well as an umbrella. Kitty brought out a picnic basket and her small portable stereo for some tunes. The boys tossed a football around while Kitty and I began our suntan. Dang, Ah can't remember the last tahme I laid out in the sun. I was gonna fry huh? Maybe better get me some sunblock.

It was an amazing day to go to the beach. The sun was out giving us the heat which was balanced out by the cool water. Every once and a while there was a slight breeze, but that brought other things.

"Hey Rogue." A figure shadowed me as he approached.

"What the? What are you doing here Cajun?"

"Just thought I'd bring the boys over for some fun." I could barely see with the sun in my eyes, but two more men appeared on our beach. They were all dressed up in their hardcore uniforms.

"Toad! Hello! You just kicked sand on me! Like, NOT COOL!"

Then a third. A white haired young kid who seemed to come out of no where. "Who the hell are you?"

Evan seemed to know who he was, "Pietro! What are you doing here?" Pietro?

"The X-men got you, but the Brotherhood got me. The better, faster version of you." He smirked.

I got up to get a better assertion of what was happening here. Fourmetallic spheres were hovering above the ground just behind the Brotherhood members. What the heck is going on? Remy never looked away from me as he nodded, signalling Blob, Toad, and Pietro to attack.

"REMY! WHAT THE HELL? TELL YOUR GOONS TO STOP!" Pietro took on Evan; Blob against Kitty; Toad against Kurt. "What is going on!"

"Magneto is offerin sanctuary to whoever wins."

"What does that mean?"

"The winner gets an all expenses paid trip to Asteroid M." He was kinda beatin around the bush a bit and it was starting to irk me but I stayed calm hopin for this to all be some crazy joke.

"For what?"

"Magento has found a way to... enhance mutant powers. Stabalize dem, extend dem to deir full ability."

"And how true is that?" He couldn't be serious? Could he...?

"True enough to wanna fight for it."

"You gonna fight me Remy? You really wanna do this?"

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Update :D whatd you think? Short ish.

Soooo the Piotr kiss, getting along with the Xmen and Remy showing up to ruin her beach day Rogue sure has a lot on her plate huh? haha Left you with a cliffy but not for long!

Oh and still finding out more about Remy and Rogue's LA rendevouz! :D

Muchos gracias for the reviews acidsunshine, supergroverelmo, ace and anana! :D .love.


	5. So Much For That

"No, I don't want to fight you. I ain't gonna fight you."

"Then what the hell are you doin?"

He ignored the previous inquiry, "Nice bikini. Dats de same one from Louisiana ain't it? For a girl dat supposedly can't have any human contact, you sure do show a lotta of skin."

"I'm at the beach for cryin out loud! An' Ah doubt thats what you came here to tell me. Enough of your silly games Remy LeBeau."

"You're de one playin games fille. I'm just here to talk to yah and maybe for once you'll listen."

"About what?"

"You kissed de Russian?"

"Seriously! Thats what you want to talk about?" Did Piotr tell him? Not that it matters... "Remy, I don't care about this. You Brotherhood fools are full on attackin my friends! When you attack them you might as well be attackin meh. So you have five seconds before I decide to kick your ass."

"Dey aren't gonna stop now. Mags has got em all riled up, so you might as well talk to me."

"You know Ah could just tap each one of them on the forehead and knock em out in one second right?"

"Supposedly," he shrugged.

"You wanna see me try?"

"Well, I'm startin tah t'ink you don't even have powers. Ah mean... you kissed de Russian."

"_He _kissed _me_! And he had his metal skin... thing. Why do you even care?"

"What do you mean! Why wouldn't I care! Back in New Orleans I told you I was in love wit you! Did you t'ink dose feelins were just gonna go away?"

My hunk sunk. For all I know it dropped and fell outta through mah feet. "Ah..."

"When I saw you again... I thought it was some kinda miracle. I wanted to kiss you, but you pull dat 'just friends' crap on me. As if not'in happened."

"Remy..."

"And now your wit the Russian."

"I'm not _with _the Russian! We just kissed! But that doesn't mean that you an I could eva..."

"Why not?"

"You just don't..."

"Understand? No, I don't understand you at all. When I told you I was in love wit you, dat you were de first girl I have eva said dat to, and you said it back... but now non of dat even matters to you. I don't get what happened with you and dat Carol Danvers chick and now dat I t'ink about it I don't know why you were in New Orleans but I don't even care! I know about your dealins wit Mystique. Is that what you're afraid of tellin me? Is that why you can't let me in now that we are here in New York?"

Maybe that was the case. A least part of it. I don't know... My thought process was halted when Blob pummled Kitty and created a sand crater, knocking her unconscious. Blob proudly entered into one of the metallic spheres which flew off into the sky. "I can't do this right now. I can't talk about this right now." Yet somehow my feet were firmly planted in the ground unmoving.

"I know you want to be wit me. Who wouldn't want to be wit dis charmin' Cajun? So why not you?"

"I need time."

"Time."

"Yeah, time." Time to figure things out. Time to be alone. Time to think.

"How much time?"

"I don't know Remy! Just time! Just give me a breath, okay? I wasn't expectin yah to be here in mah new life. And now that you are its too difficult to just erase the time we have been a part and continue from where we were. Its just too confusin now."

"I give you time, you promise to give us a chance?"

"Yes."

"Alright, guess I have to trust you den eh? You already know how I feel about you and I know how you feel about me. You must still feel somet'in cuz you wouldn't have listened to me if you didn't."

"Right, about that." A quick left hook to his jaw knocked him out cold. "Well, now that that is settled."

xxxx

_Ah felt like I was in a movie. It had to be mah imagination, a very vivid dream that I was still in. Ah woke up in Remy's arms and it felt perfect. My head rested on his bare chest, I could feel the soft thump of his heart beatin. It felt like this could be everyday. Ah know how young I am and maybe this is all mindless dreamin but I felt somethin that I wanted to feel everyday for the rest of my life._

_His eyes opened just after mine, "Bonjour."_

_"Mornin sugah." He kissed my forehead. We made no effort to get out of bed as more kissin ensued. I rolled on top of him and he kissed my neck. My lips made their way to his. One lil nibble of his bottom lip and Ah knew we were gonna go wild. _

_..._

_"Took me for suprise there. I liked it."_

_"Couldn't help myself."_

_"Glad you couldn't." I nuzzled into his chest and wondered how long this would last. __"Breakfast?"_

_"Ah thought Ah'd be sneakin out of here."_

_"Why?"_

_Because Ah have no idea what Ah'm doin here. "Ain't your dad here?"_

_"Nah, he is probably at work right by now."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Yeah, of course I'm sure chere. Now what do you what for breakfast? I was t'inkin some eggs maybe some waffles if we got em..."_

_"Got any bacon and that'd be perfect."_

_"A girl that can eat. i like that." He kissed my forehead before he slid out of bed to put some clothes on. "You wanna shower first?"_

_"Only if you're joinin meh." Who was this flirtacious, sex crazed, teenage girl? Ah don't know bout you but I kinda lahke her._

_..._

_"Dis is turnin out to be one heck of a good mornin."_

_"Gotta shirt or somethin for me to wear?"_

_"Yeah, here you go." He threw me an LSU shirt._

_"I can't wear this! I'm a bulldog not a silly tiger!"_

_"Hah, Mississippi huh? Knew you were from somewhere down south but I didn't know you were my neighbor! I don't know if this relationship is gonna work out now chere, sorry to say."_

_"Oh hush swamp rat!"_

_"Oh? Dats how its gonna be? Didn't know such a high and mighty southern belle was in my midst." He grabbed me and playfully wrestled around a bit. A tickle war began and I gave up almost immediately, "Okay! Okay! You win! I will wear the damn shirt!_

_"Thats what I thought," he grinned. "So you really from Mississippi?"_

_We don't know each other. At all. I know a bit about him, but just what I was supposed to know for the hit. I wasn't gonna kill him now though thats for sure. I didn't have the heart. Or maybe I did have a heart and that was the problem. How do Ah know this love is real?_

_Love. Love? LOVE?_

_Suddenly this all felt backwards, but it seemed like this was the way it was supposed tah happen for us. "Born and raised honey."_

...

"You day dreaming again girl?"

"Yeah, kinda." I pulled my head out of my locker.

"Did you see our new principal outside? He looks so scared!"

"No, I haven't seen him yet." I hope this guy is better than our last principal. Darkholme was so... evil.

"Come on! Smile for your friend Risty! Its going to be a wicked awesome day!"

"Why?"

"Did you hear Duncan Matthews is having a party tonight at his house while his parents are away for the weekend? We should totallllllly go!"

"Yeah right, lahke I'd eva be caught goin tah somethin lahke that."

"Oh come on! It'd be fun! I've never been to an American party before so please take me? Pleaseeee?" She smiled and I knew I was going to the stupid party. Risty was my new friend. She moved here from England a few weeks ago and we really hit it off. She has these purple streaks in her hair and thought my white ones were cool. Thats how we becames friends. Simple. Though I know not to keep her too close. Professor Xavier has already warned me not to bring her over to the house of mutants... blah blah blah.

"Yeah okay. We will go but only for an hour or so."

"Great! See? That wasn't so hard." I wondered what she would think about me being a mutant. She'd probably just think it was cool and get over it.

"How was Dr. McCoy's test today in chem?"

"As much as I'd love to give you some hints doll, you're Cajun swamp rat is heading this way and I do not want to be caught in the middle of your fireworks!"

"Fireworks? What does that even mean?"

"Gotta go love! See you later at lunch!"

I close my locker door revealing Remy's pearly white smile. "She left quick."

"She can smell a swamp rat just as well as Ah can."

"Ouch. Someone ain't in a good mood today. Thats a shame."

"What do you want Remy?" Its been a month since the beach. I ask for time and Remy decides the opposite and to be as annoyin as possible. Then again Ah did punch him. But the truth is... yeah, I love him. I said it in New Orleans and I meant it. Of course I still have feelings for him. He was my first... everythin. Ah guess what scares me is that it started out so physical. What I thought was a blessin might have actually been a curse because we can't go back to that. It'll never happen. Happiness don't come that easy, especially not for meh. I can't imagine being with someone and not being able to hold em or kiss em the way I wanted, or at all for that matter. Ah'm assumin that Remy thinks the same way. Its just sad. It just ain't eva gonna happen. Ah should just accept that right? Even though I love him and Ah do wanna be with him... maybe I should just let it go?

That day at the beach also reminded me that Remy was on somebody's list. If they found out he wasn't dead, what would they do? Then I got to thinkin who the hell are they anyway? Kinda ironic but as soon as I punched Remy Ah realized I had to find out who wanted him gone. I needed to protect him. Ah didn't know if we could have a relationship at all but I didn't know how to live in a world without him.

"I was wonderin if you wanted to go to Duncan's party tonight wit me?"

"You can't possibly be invited to that thang."

"Well, I am."

"How?"

"I'm on the football team now. Duncan and me really hit it off. He is still a fool but he sure is one entertainin fool."

"Is that why you're dressed up like that?" I asked just now noticin his jersey.

"Yeah, I'm wide reciever." Of course. Of course Remy would end up being some highschool jock. He wasn't really the artsy type (bein sneaky and havin tricks up your sleeve all the time don't count), I knew that, but football? Now he was one of those preps I hated! But it kinda figures. Remy is that cool suave guy that everyone wants to be. He could be runnin this school in a day if he wanted to. Just his smile will get him whatever he wants. Even with his eyes, which some people may be concerned about, he just smiles and says somethang sweet (or worse, somethang in French) and he can make any girl swoon or any guy wanna hang with him. I was still the weirdo goth girl so what did he want with me?

"Good for you."

"Well? About dat party?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Hah, I know what dat means. How much time is it gonna take huh chere? Its already been a month. I miss you in my bed."

"Oh my gosh. Just leave." He has no idea what is goin on in mah head. But I missed him at night too.

...

"I can't believe you stowed away in Risty's car Kitty!"

"How'd you even get in the trunk of my car?" Risty wondered aloud.

"Okay! I'm sorry! I just really wanted to go to this party!" Kitty explained.

"You're a freshman. You can't go."

"Oh, don't be mean to her Rogue! We already practically snuck her in. She might as well come inside," Risty reasoned.

"Yeah, please! Please let me come with you," Kitty begged.

"Fahne."

"Really?"

"YES! But we are only staying here for an hour, maybe even less okay?"

"Okay cool. You're the best Rogue! The _best_! Seriously.

"Yeah, yeah." Kitty ran into the house too eagerly.

"Someone doesn't get out much."

"Hah, I'm suprised she wouldn't even want to come to something like this. I'm sure she wouldn't approve of half the things going on up there being the Christian sweet hear that she is."

"Just because she is religious doesn't mean she can't be social! Who knows? Maybe she will let loose tonight."

"That'd be somethan tah see."

"Well come on! Lets go."

We walked into Duncan's house and I already felt out of place. Ah grabbed a drink to ease my tensions and headed up stairs to the loft like living room where most of the party had gathered.

"Dang, what happened to the ping pong table?" Risty pointed out. Duncan and a friend were trying to put the broken halves back together. I already knew this probably had to do with one of the X-men.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom, hold my drink?"

"Sure, no problem."

I walked down the hall and felt nausea overwhelm me, this was really how Duncan lived? In a modern two story house with a pool an' pretty much any material thang he could ask for? Don't forget he is the star of the football team, dating the preppy Jean Grey... he must thinks he owns the world.

The guest bathroom was occupied so Ah made mah way to what I assumed to be the master bedroom. I tapped open the door revealing Remy on the bed. Without a shirt.

"What the heck are you doing? Where's your shirt?"

"I..."

My question was answered when Jean came out of the adjoining bathroom buttoning up a much larger shirt which I assume to be Remy's.

"Are you _serious_? So much for time huh Remy? And Jean, are you kiddin me? You already have Duncan as your boyfriend and Scott followin you 'round like a sick lil puppy and now you need Remy too? You are both... argh! DISGUSTING!"

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Updated! Wootwoot! haha

so Rogue punched remy lol

and you find out that they love each other!

Rogue decided that she does want to be with him but first has to come to terms with the lack of a physical connection and wants to find out who wants him dead.

But then he is with Jean... soooo now wat? haha

Whatd you think?


	6. Nothing Has Changed

_"What you lookin at?"_

_" Oh... Ah'm sorry. Ah was just lookin at your eyes." I glanced back at my dealt cards. We ate our breakfast while playing a game of gin rummy but Ah was perpetually distracted by his eyes._

_"Oh," he responded sadly._

_"They are beautiful," Ah encouraged. "Kinda remind me of pomegranate seeds."_

_"Hah, my eyes remind you of un fruit? How is dat beautiful?"_

_"Okay fahne. Maybe like rubies. Is that better?"_

_"Better than bein compared to a fruit."_

_Would he tell me the truth if Ah asked? Lets find out. "Mind meh askin why they are lahke that?"_

_"I'm... just not normal."_

_"You do seem pretty... unique."_

_"One of a kind. I have never met anyone like me before. I don't know what I am."_

_"_What _you are? Don't you mean _who_?"_

_"This isn't exaclty dinner... or breakfast conversation."_

_"Ah'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude or nothin. Ah was just curious is all. You don't haf tah tell me if you're sensitive 'bout it."_

_He argued, "_Sensitive_? I'm not sensitive!" _

_I giggled. "Well, then?"_

_"This is gonna sound crazy."_

_"Oh come on, shoot."_

_"I make stuff... explode."_

_"With your eyes?"_

_"No, with my hands."_

_"How?"_

_"I just t'ink 'bout it. I can feel this energy going through me and I just let it out."_

_"Thats kinda cool." Even though I knew it already, it was interestin to see Remy talk about it. He spoke almost passionately._

_"Cool?"_

_"Yeah. You're like your own dynamite."_

_"Hah, I guess."_

_"They are beautiful though, your eyes."_

_"Not'in like yours chere."_

_"Do you think we are ever gonna leave this house?"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Ah know that look."_

_He smirked, "What look?"_

_"_That _look-"_

A banging at the door inturrupted my flashback, thankfully. But it was Jean. Damn it. "Rogue! Its been a week already! You need to stop ignoring me! Its so stupid! I'm trying to explain to you what happened-"

"I really don't care. You can be with Remy or Scott or whoeva the hell you want. I don't care. Run off with Remy through a field of flowers and off into the sunset for all Ah care." Then die there. Come on thats not _that _harsh. They'd be together, right?

"Can you please just talk to me!"

"Nah."

"We didn't..." She lowered her voice, "We didn't do what you think we did."

"I don't wanna know what you did." Who knows what kinky lil Jean Grey could be into.

"We just kissed, okay?"

"You _just _kissed."

"And thats it! I swear!"

I walked over to the door and opened it to reveal a pathetic looking Jean. Not to mention adorned with the black eye I gave her this morning. Purely by accident Ah swear. "You just kissed? Nothin else?"

"Nothing else, I swear! I was so furious that Scott and Duncan were dueling each other over a ping pong match that I went to go hide in a room to calm down. Remy comes in and asks whats wrong and I just started crying. I couldn't help it. He listened to me. All I wanted was someone to listen to me. And then I kissed him. I guess I was just too emotional, I don't know. He had a drink in his hand and when I kissed him he spilled it on my shirt. I felt so stupid for kissing him and he felt bad for ruining my shirt that he gave me his. I'm really sorry, Rogue. I didn't know you and Remy were a thing. I would never want to betray your trust like that. I hav felt so bad this past week, I hated knowing that you were mad at me. If I had known-"

"We aren't a thing."

"Oh... you aren't? Then I don't get why you're so upset. Why did you punch me this morning?"

"That was an accident. I swear."

"You just happened to punch me in the face?"

"No, you were right behind one of the robot sims and it ducked and then my punch landed on you. Ah was gonna apologize. Ah didn't know it was that hard."

"Well, thanks for the apology. I guess."

"Why did Remy let me believe that you two had... done more than kissin?"

"I don't know. I thought you weren't a thing? But you like each other?"

"No." Ugh. Damn. "We just... I don't know."

"I'm not gonna judge you or anything because he is working for Magneto."

"Lahke I care what you think."

"Of course you don't."

"Me and Remy just have this _thing_. But we aren't _a_ thing."

"Right... so you like him?"

"Oh mah gosh."

"I don't know why he didn't explain the situation to you but if you care you should ask him."

"Why don't you sneak in his head and find out?"

"I can't do that!"

"Yeah you could."

"Okay, well I don't _want _to."

"Fahne. Thanks for the help, I guess."

"...Yeah, you're welcome."

"And... thanks for telling me the truth."

She smiled and as she walked away I realized Ah hated her a lil less.

xxxx

"Hey." I whispered in Remy's direction, "Pssst..."

"Oh you're talkin to me now?" Remy asked as he continued to watch the movie projected in our French class.

"Yeah Ah'm talkin tah yah fool."

"Why?"

"You tell me."

"What?"

"Jean told me what happend. What _really _happened at the party last week."

"Good."

"Good? Why didn't _you _tell me?"

"I would have told you dat second but you stormed off."

"I know."

"You sure were quick to t'ink de worst of me."

"Mademoiselle Anna, ne pas parler." Of course I would get in trouble for talkin even though the Cajun is too. Our teacher loves Remy whether its cuz of his perfect French or charmin demeanour it doesn't matter but it sure does piss me off.

I sat back for a few seconds in silence before returnin to conversation, "You still kissed her."

"She kissed me."

"Ah just wanna know why you didn't want to tell me?"

"You know now so what does it matter?"

"Ah-"

"Didn't you ask for space? Some 'time'. Well now you got it. I don't like bein judged."

It was hard to get Remy mad or hurt, but he was. Its obvious. And I'm doin it to him. "Remy... I love you okay?"

"Mademoiselle Anna! This is the second time I have asked you to stop talking. Come move up to the front desk here. You're staying after school with me for detention."

"Seriously?"

"Serieux."

"Come on! Its not like you need quiet to watch this movie anyhow. There are subtitles-"

"Anna!"

"Yeah, fahne."

...

"Can I leave now?"

"Did you finish your paragraph-"

"Yes."

"Okay... go ahead."

"Thank god." I gathered up my belongings and exited the class room. My locker was just around the corner but was hidden by a silhouette. Remy was there waitin for me lookin statue-esque. "Remy...?"

"So, you love me?"

"Yeah, I love you." I shrugged.

"And this whole 'time' t'ing?"

"A bunch of crap."

"So you _do _care about me chere."

"Yes," I said rolling my eyes. "Of course Ah do."

"Den what's the problem?"

"I can't... I can't touch you. I can't kiss you or simply hold your hand. I can't do those things. How can you be with someone like me?"

"How can I not? I love you. I knew I loved you in New Orleans when you first walked into dat bar and I still love you now. Not'ins changed chere."

"Everythang has changed."

"Not me and you. I'm always gonna be here for you. No matter what." We hugged. I wanted to stay just like that for the rest of my life. Being in his arms, breathing in his scent, feeling his face in my hair... I felt happy and beautiful. Everything felt right with the world. Is that crazy?

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Finally got around to updating! Shortish chap...?

Remy and Jean didn't go farther than a kiss (yay) and Rogue and Remy finally admit they are in love! Awww fluff. haha

Muchos gracias for the reviews anana, ace, remylebeau4evr, and ravenlink (i will take that in mind. I didn't think i skipped around too much but in that last chap i did just try to get to the point haha but thank u for the constructive note.)

Also to RemyLeBeau4ever1 and Raven34link for adding me to you alert/fav story! :D :D :D


	7. Cruel Fate

"Hey, Rogue."

"Lance... what do you want?"

"That doesn't sound too friendly."

"Well I don't know what to expect. Toad and Blob have been harassing me for weeks now."

"Come on, they are just being boys."

Yeah. Stupid, annoying, smelly boys. "Whatever. What do you want?"

"Well, I noticed that yesterday after Remy fell asleep you snuck into Mystique's room." Damn it. I broke in last night to try to find any paper work on Remy's assassination and I did:

_Remy LeBeau - 16 yrs old, brown hair, 5'11_

_Distictive feature: red eyes_

_Theives Guild Member, heir_

_Cajun Spice is a usual hangout, becomes violent if threatened. Must be subtle. _

_Advantages: Crafty, sticky fingers, mutant ability_

_Upon delivery of dead body pay to the amount of five million dollars._

_Account #: 115522009_

If I find that account number, and who it belongs to, I find out who wants Remy dead. I thought I had been real sneaky, but apparently not. I didn't account for Lance's sleep deprivated life style of playing video games until four thirty in the mornin.

"And?"

"And that you stole something."

"How do you know I wasn't just lookin for feminine products?"

"You walked out with a file. And I bet if I was to search your locker right now I'd find it."

"I-"

"You know, Mystique is droppin by tomorrow and I think if I mentioned this to her she'd be pissed but I won't mention it if you do me a favor."

"Are you black mailin meh?"

"No... I'm gonna do you a favor and you are gonna do me a favor in return."

"Against my will which is black mail."

"Well, unless you don't care about Mystique finding out..."

What else can Ah do? "What do you want?"

"I want you to talk to Kitty for me."

"What for? Wait..." Oh my gosh. Lance was... Lance was BLUSHIN! "You like her?"

"Shut up! Shit, tell the whole school why don't yah."

"Are you serious? Seriously? Kitty? You like her?"

"Yes, get over it."

"You're a junior and she is a freshman. Thats kinda gross."

"It is not."

"You like her? Seriously?"

"Seriously! Why is that so hard to believe? I have known her since Chicago and I try to talk to her and impress her with stuff but she still thinks I'm a loser."

"Impressing her? Like throwing a water balloon at that kid with asthma in your P.E class?"

"She told you about that? Then she does notice me..."

"Not in a good way! She's not _impressed_. You're right, she does think your a loser."

"Thats why I was hoping you could talk to her."

"Why do you like her?"

"Because she is cute."

"And..."

"She is funny without really realizing it and she is good. I think I could be with a good girl." Thats really kinda... sweet. Lance, sweet? He must really like this girl. Though I have no idea what for. I use all my energy to try to not strangle her.

"Hmm... anything else?"

"Back in Chicago when we went to school together... we had this real conversation. She actually cared, yah know? I have never felt that before."

"You are serious about this?"

"For the millionth time, YES!"

"You know, you didn't have to blackmail me. I would have done it if you asked."

"Sure, whatever. Just go talk to her okay?"

"Yeah, sure." He bumped into Remy on the way,"Hey."

"Hey." Remy walked over to me, "Was he buggin you?"

"No, he just wanted a favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"He likes Kitty! Can you believe that?"

"Really? They seem... oddly matched."

"So are we."

"Come on now, we have t'ings in common."

"Like what?"

"Both from de south."

"Thats not very personal," I smiled.

"You like de right side of de bed and I like de left. See? We are perfect for each other."

"Hah, okay."

"Why you get hung up on stuff like dat cherie?"

"Kinda hard not to when the star of the football team is walkin meh to chemistry." I grabbed my chemistry book out of my locker careful not to expose a particular folder with Remy's name on it. Ah tried to stay calm and hoped I wasn't sweatin bullets

"Speakin of which... you gonna go to my game next Friday?" He wrapped his arms around my waist and I felt normal for a sec.

"I don't know... maybe." Jean goes to see Duncan (they've made up since the party, though I don't think Duncan knows about the kiss because him and Remy are still somewhat friends) and Scott goes to keep Jean company... which is weird. How can he stand to watch Jean's boyfriend like that? Well whatever. Scott doesn't want to seem like he is just there for Jean so he always invites other kids. Kitty is cheerleading so I won't have to worry about her blabbing in my ear all night, so maybe Ah will go. Probably would have gone anyway.

"Come on, dis is a girlfriend t'ing. You gotta go." I could feel his breath against my ear. Any closer and it'd be lights out, but Ah tried not to ruin the moment.

"Oh, so Ah'm you're girlfriend?"

"Oui."

"Hmm, then I guess you're right. I should go." His arms still wrapped around me, I turned around in his hold so that I could look him in the eye.

"Yes, you should."

"Fahne, you know Ah think its really cool that you're on the football team."

"You do?"

"Yeah. Its cool that you put yourself out there and you're good at it."

"Guess if I can't steal stuff I might as well pummel people," he joked.

"Nah, its more than that. You study the plays. You found somethin you like to do, in highschool no less."

"Ain't like I'm goin pro or anyt'in Rogue."

"Yeah, but you could if you wanted to."

"You t'ink so?"

"Don't even pretend like you haven't pictured yourself playin for the New Orleans Saints."

"Hah, got me there."

"You could go pro if you wanted to."

"Why would you say that?"

"You do everythang you set your mind to."

"You don't know how bad I want to kiss you right now."

"Remy, don't say stuff like that." His faced inched a lil closer and the tips of our noses grazed each other.

...

"Well? What does it mean?"

"I'm sorry to say Rogue, but I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? Ain't you some professor or somet'in?" Remy asked.

"I have worked with mutants my whole life, but you two...Each of you is one of a kind. I haven't never met another mutant with the gifts you posses. I have met numerous telepaths and shape shifters, but none like you."

"This feels weird to say since you're like my dad... Ah mean... you ain't _really _my dad but you gave me a place to stay and you feed me and stuff... but you're lahke a doctor right? There is patient conifdentiality an' all that?"

"What is it that you're tryin to tell me Rogue?"

"You're probably in mah head already. Do Ah really have to say it out loud?"

"Rogue, your mind is a very complicated labyrinth that not even I can tap into at this point."

"Tell me 'bout it," Remy agreed.

"Okay.. well... me and Remy know each other from before. Months ago we met and we were..." Oh my gosh this is so embarrassing. "Intimate. Lahke _really _intimate. And I know you have this confused look on your face for a reason. I had my powers then. I had only just had them for a few months but Ah was able to touch Remy."

"Rogue, you have a very serious condition and whether or not it is always apparent it is with you for life. You're powers don't come and go as they please and its very unlikely that you will be able to control it."

"Ain't dat what you're supposed tah be helpin her with? Ain't that why she is here in you fancy mansion is for help?"

"And I am doing the best I can Gambit. There isn't a protocal to follow here... we could run some tests."

"Tests? Tests for what?"

"Well, the kinetic energy inside you may be the reason why Rogue can touch you."

"A _what _energy?"

"Thats what makes things blow up," The Professor explained. "You charge them with kinetic energy and it has no other choice but to explode." How does the Prof know all this stuff about Remy anyway? I'm startin to think he's got tabs on everyone.

"So what does dat haf tah do wit Rogue?"

"Its possible that your outputting your kinetic energy as some kind of barrier."

"So... Remy and Ah can..."

"I wouldn't test the limits of this theory. Gambit's kinetic energy is built up inside him and if he doesn't let it out it could have dire consequences."

"Lahke what?"

"The energy will have no where else to go. It will charge his body and-"

"Are you sayin I might explode! I might just blow up one day?" Remy was baffled.

"Possibly. You use you're energy on a daily basis, but when you are with Rogue you don't use them that often. Is that safe to assume?"

"Well, yeah. I don't need tah throw cards at her. Its de rest of you X-men dat are always ruinin de fun."

"So the energy is built up inside your body until you expell it. When it is kept contained within you, thats when you and Rogue seem to be able to touch."

"But I can't keep it built up."

"No, you cannot."

"How do you know all this?" I implored.

"I don't know all this for certain. Based on what you told me, I have made this assumption. Like I said, tests could be run to determine-"

"How would you know what tests should be run? How do you know these tests exist at all?"

"I have been working with mutants all my life Rogue. I know a thing or two. I have connections."

"Like?"

"Moira Taggert for one."

"The woman thats workin with Piotr's sister?"

"Yes..."

"How's that comin anyway."

"Magneto infected her with some sort of virus in order to get Colossus on his side. Moira is running all sorts of tests, trying all sorts of antidotes but none of them seem to be working."

"Somet'in else ya'll can't figure out huh?" Remy mentioned.

"Its not like there is mutant DNA 101 offered at colleges. As you know we are still a somewhat secret society though your Magneto would have it otherwise."

...

"Rem, stop it."

"Stop what?"

"You're inchin closer tah meh and its scarin the hell outta meh."

"I'm just tryin to get comfortable. You were never dis scared before."

"Remy... you could die. I'm never going to take that risk. I don't want anythin to happen to yah. I don't know what Ah'd do if-"

"You ain't gonna kill me chere. I don't even know why you say stuff like dat."

"Because its a very possible possibility."

"A possibility don't mean its gonna happen."

"No, it just means its bound tah happen. I can't stay here tonight. I'm going back home."

"Rogue..."

Is it possible that the only other person I can touch in the WHOLE WORLD might explode? This is just too cruel. What am I doing...

_"You're right. We should get out of this house. Get some fresh air."_

_"You takin' meh out?"_

_"Yeah, I am. We're doin dis a bit backwards huh?"_

_"And to think I was just lucky enough to get breakfast in the mornin... and seconds."_

_"You eva been to New Orleans before chere?"_

_"Nah." I wasn't lyin. One thing I can't believe is how honest I am with this guy. What am I doing..._

_"Then come on! I got loads tah show yah. B__eignets first then maybe a trip to the fair they have down town. You're too late for Mardi gras but we will make the most of it."_

___"I'm gonna go get some clothes from mah hotel. Where should I meet yah?"_

I got to the hotel and burned the file I had on Remy Lebeau, but kept the picture that was paper clipped to it. The amount of money that was offered wasn't on the slip Mystique had given me but it wouldn't have made any difference. I already realized me and remy had somethin else. Somethin important. Luckily Mystique had a copy of her dealings, now to find out who owns that account...

xxxx

"You're saying the adults are going to be gone all weekend? We should throw a party! That would be so-"

"Not happenin Risty."

"Why on Earth not? Its the perfect opportunity." That British accent of hers could charm her way into meet the President, walk right into the oval office.

"Too risky."

"Don't get all cheesed off before the plan is even set in motion."

"Exactly. Nothing is going to be in motion."

"You're always saying how that place is no fun and all rules. So lets liven it up a bit!"

"You're crazy."

"I'm not crazy! You know you want to..."

"All the adults are gone but Scott is still there but he's too army."

"Lay down the plans for everyone again."

"Wednesday we are havin a Thanksgiving dinner with everyone. Then the Professor and Jean are leaving to her parents house on the Thursday of Thanksgiving. Ororo and Evan are going back home too. Kitty is going back to Chicago... Logan is always disappearin anyway. Evan, Kit and Jean are coming back the next day but The Professor and Ororo have business to attend to for the whole weekend."

"And when is Logan going to be back?"

"I don't know. And there is the first obstacle. Not to mention how this will pan out with Scott in charge."

"We can so make this happen!"

"Yeah, but you already have me sneaking out to that concert Sunday night. Its like you're _tryin _tah get me in trouble."

"Its going to be a wicked concert! I am doing this because I am an amazing friend who loves you! And I know for a fact that Scott has two tickets and is planning on asking Jean to go..."

"What?" So much for the good Scott everyone else knows. "Fahne. Yes about the concert and maybe the party Friday night. Though this is good leverage against Scott."

"Thats my girl!"

xxxx

It was the day before Thanksgiving, but its not like you would know the difference. The feast was prepared and we were all about to sit down when the doorbell rang.

"Rogue, will you please get the door and invite our guests in for supper?"

"Who else we expectin?" I walked over to the door and opened it to reveal Remy's grinning face and Lance right behind him.

"What the hell are you two doin here?" This can't be who you were expectin Professor.

He answered my mental thought, "It is who we were expceting Rogue. Welcome our new X-men."

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Thanks to ace and ravenlink for reviewing the last chap :)

And to UntoughableRogue and ImagineTheWorldWicked for adding me to your alerts. im flattered. haha :D

So what'd you think? :D :D :D


	8. Danger

Scott lashed out, "Professor! You hav got to be kidding! You can't be serious about letting these two fools in the X-men!"

"They should have to pass some test or something first! Jeez! You can't just let anyone in here!" Kitty yelled.

I chimed in. "Frankly, I agree."

"Rogue? Are you serious? Its not like I'm your boyfriend or anyt'in right? Thought you'd be happy."

"Remy... its just... I mean you _can't _be serious."

"Well, we are serious. We are in this for the long hall," Lance promised.

"Remy?" I eyed him with skepticism.

"I'm where ever you are chere."

"You swear this ain't some trick or somethin?"

"I swear! Jeez...Now who is gonna serve a plate of that delicious turkey you got over there?" Remy asked.

...

"So, what do you think of Lance?" I had never really had a chance to put in a good word for Lance but I guess now was better than never.

"Unless you are gonna help me get this gravy smell out of my hair I suggest you leave you're stupid questions for someone else."

"Oh, rawr. Someone is in a bad mood."

"MAYBE BECAUSE THAT FREAKISH ELF JUST POURED GRAVY ALL OVER MY HEAD." Kitty had just taken a shower and was now applying every hair creme and spray in an attempt to rid her scalp of the smell of turkey gravy.

"I thought you liked Thanksgiving? The smell of all the food bakin in the oven... ain't that what you told me earlier today?"

"GET OUT!"

"Its not like its gum! Its just gravy!"

"Yeah and if Kurt hadn't been swinging from the chandelier it wouldn't have fallen right on MY head!"

"You're upset."

"OF COURSE I AM UPSET!"

"I have never seen you so upset."

"Because you don't know me."

"Oh, rawr again."

"What do you want? If you are just here to patronize me then just leave!"

"No, I'm here to ask you what you think about Lance."

"I hate the fact that he is living here. I can't believe that-"

"Thats not what I meant."

"Well then what do you mean?"

"I mean... he is cute right?"

"Do you like him? I thought you were with Remy!" Someone is a lil jumpy...

"I am with Remy! I don't like Lance, but I'm askin if maybe you..."

"Me and Lance? Like yeah right."

"Why not?"

"He is such a... because he is always ... he is just a loser. Thats why. Did he ask you to like... ask me about him? If I like him?"

"No... I'm just wonderin cuz I know you guys have some history back in Chicago."

"Did he tell you that? Are you two like friends?"

"I guess. I don't know, but who cares."

"You wouldn't be doing this if you weren't friends."

"Okay, fine whatever! The kid is alright! Sheesh. Now back to your feelins for him."

"I never said I had feelings for him!"

"But you didn't say you don't have feelins for him so..."

"Well, now he is living here and I can't avoid his annoying face."

"You aren't answering the question."

"Okay! FINE! Back in Chicago I had a teeny tiny crush on Lance, but then he proved to be just the guy I thought he was so its over. Any possibility of us being together is over.

"Mhm... well he likes you. I can tell. And he wouldn't be here at the mansion if he didn't want to change... for you."

"Its just some game. Some sort of ploy to have everyone think..."

"Its not a ploy. There is no logical reason to be here. If there was any sway in his mind about becoming an X-men, The Professor would know its for the wrong reasons."

"I guess..."

"So. Lance...?"

"Lance..."

...

"Dat was a mighty fine spread you got here. Never ate Dat good in a while."

"Remy, you could get in trouble for being in here. Its late and..."

"And you miss me."

"Fine, come lay down for like five minutes. Thats it."

"How 'bout til you fall asleep?"

"Yeah, okay." He crawled into bed next to me but I instantly became stiff when I felt his chest against my back. I had never been so afraid to be close to someone and I had never been so afraid to get close to Remy but now I am. Maybe we can touch but maybe we can't.

"Whats wrong? Relax... go to bed."

"I can't with you layin here so close to me."

"Rogue, its going to be fine. We have slept together a lotta nights and nothing has happened-"

"Yet."

"And maybe it won't ever."

"And maybe it will."

"Rogue..."

"Remy I don't know what I'd do if I ever hurt you. After I put Cody in a coma, I was so... messed up. Luckily he is okay. But I'm still not okay with it. I'm not okay with what I did to him. And if it were you? I-"

"Rogue, I love you. Dats all that matters. And if I did end up in a coma I'd probably dream of you all day so its be a good sleep."

"Thats not funny."

"I'm not tryin to be funny. Can you just relax? You ain't gonna hurt me."

I rolled around and could see his red eyes lightly glowing in the darkness. I buried myself in his chest and my eye lids shut so tight in fear. Eventually my tension eased into slumber,

xxxx

Two hours into the party Scott and Jean arrived to the mansion to be suprised by half the highschool. He rounded up the X-men that he saw and gave us a "stern talkin to". Hah, oh Scott... what a square.

"This cannot be happening." Scott had to yell over the stereo blasting and chatter.

"Well... this party is kinda already happening."

"THIS IS NOT GOOD!" Scott was in full on rage mode.

"Come on, don't be so lame." Kitty was actually on my side about this thing which is suprising.

"Everyone is already on here and there are more on the way Scott. We will lock up all the basement just in case," Jean reasoned.

"You're the one that has been complaining of a head ache all week Jean. Do you really think having a party will help with that?"

"It'll keep my mind occupied. Its a good thing."

After Jean chimed in on the matter I knew Scott would sway. "If this goes on and gets out of hand..."

"It won't Scott! Jeez don't get your panties in a -"

Remy inturrupted me mid sentence, "Actually... something is out of hand."

"What? What happened!"

"Lance and Kurt are stuck in de Danger Room. Kurt can get out but he can't get to Lance." Remy panted as he approached us.

"What were they doing in there anyway?" Scott demanded.

"Does it really matter? We have to help them get out. Come on Kitty, lets go." Jean said as she grabbed Kitty by the hand.

"Ugh, I knew something like this was going to happen!" Okay... maybe I was a lil naive to think that a party could be held in a a super secret mutant school. "Rogue, get everyone out of here!"

"How am I supposed to do that? You can't just go 'round barkin orders at everyone-"

"Yes, I can. Because I would never have-"

"COPS!" Remy screamed as loud as he could. The kids looked down at their plastic red cups and fled the scene. That was easier than I thought. Remy and I ushered everyone out of the room makin sure there were no straglers. "It was Mystique."

"What was?"

"She jammed de Danger Room. I saw her on de security monitor. Who knows what else shes done."

Oh mah god... how stupid am I? Why don't I think! Mystique could have been any one of these fools and I just let her in. How did she know? This is bad. I'm gonna be grounded for sure... What did she want? What was she after?

"Rogue!" Evan called out.

"Hey is everyone okay?"

"We shut down the Danger room, but Jean... she went to go check on Cerebro and now she...Jean is... I don't know... she is just gone."

"What do you mean?"

"She passed out. Scott is trying to wake her up but she freaked!"

Remy and I looked at each other, expressionless, as if to say "How could things go wrong so fast?" We ran down stairs as fast as we could. The scene we arrived to was surreal: A lifeless body floated inside Cerebro; The metal plates that lined the room orbited around it; Scott was crying.

"Whats wrong with her?" I asked tenatively.

"I don't know. She tried using Cerebro and something went wrong..." Kitty whispered.

"There is too much going on in her head," Scott reasoned. "She's been complaining of a headache all week..."

"...maybe she needs a chance to... a chance to regain control. If I take a bit out of her maybe she can get a better handle on things in her head."

"Dat might be dangerous," Remy cautioned.

"If it will help its worth a try. I'm doing this," I declared. "Kurt, teleport me right above her and then drop me."

"Drop you?"

"Just do it."

Kurt and I held each other in a tight embrace.

"Rogue..." Remy touched my gloved hand.

"I live for danger remember?"

A puff of smoke and a heavy drop.

_"There you are cherie. I was beginning to t'ink you were gonna ditch me."_

_"You seemed to keep yourself busy in the mean time," I said as I noticed him leaving the company of two girls near the cotton candy booth who seemed extremely smitten. Was Ah jealous? Damn this Cajun is makin me all kinds a crazy._

_"Hah, don't worry 'bout them. Just some girls from school... Come on, I'll make you forget about dem by winnnin you somet'in at dat game over there. I'm a pretty good shot."_

_"That rifle one over there?"_

_"Yeah come on." Remy held my hand as we walked over to the game. He gave the attendant a few dollars and tried his hand at shooting a series of moving targets a couple feet away. First three was a breeze, but the fourth was missed by just a hair. __"Damn."_

_"I wanna try," I tried to act coy._

_"Yeah, okay. Lets see how far you get." One, two, three... four. Ding Ding Ding, WINNER! __"Dat was a good shot," Remy scoffed._

_"Oh come on its just a game. Don't be embarrassed that you got beat by a girl." I pointed to a large black and white wolf and the attendant happily handed it to me._

_"It don't matter that you're a fille. I more so care dat you're from Mississippi."_

_"Don't hate. I won you a prize didn't Ah?"_

_"I'm de boy. I should win you somet'in."_

_I smiled, "Well we got all day Cajun."_

_"You brave enough to go on a ride? Dis is a fair so I dunno how safe it is," he smirked._

_"I live for danger." We smiled._

...

"I love you." Scott's shimmering ruby quartz glasses were staring at me. What the...? Where the hell did I wake up? "Jean? Jean?"

"Scott..." Scott immediately left my side when a far away voice called out to him. Of course.

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Its been way too long I know :( but u know holidays and all that which are still happening haha but Hope you had a good one :D

Anyway this chap is inspired by two episodes combined to fit my story line. What did you think? Shortish chap but I split it here so expect an update sooner!

Muchos gracias for the reviews ithinkimaninja, ace, microcheese, and ravenlink!

And to Aquaofthe4 for adding me to your fav story!


	9. Nightmares & Daydreams

It was Sunday night when Risty called beggin me to go to the concert. After yesterday I can't even imagine myself going anywhere. The Professor was "disappointed" which is way worse than just plain ol angry. He more so cared about Jean's well being than the intruder. Jean, Jean, Jean, Jean. Last night when I touched her she took over my body. I was in this black hole peacefully floating and when I woke up Scott is saying he loves me. But not me. Jean. Which I don't really care. Sure I had the tiniest crush on him but I love Remy. Its just that Scott and Jean are this perfect alternate reality. They do everything right. They never would have done something stupid like throw a party at the mansion because they know better while I just keep doing mistake after mistake.

"I seriously cannot go to this concert Risty. You don't even know how bad I'm in trouble."

"So you threw a lil party! How mad could they be?"

"The house... was a mess. They are pissed."

"Well it was a fun party until the cops showed up."

"I lost you half way through the party, where'd you go?"

"I kinda hooked up with someone. Is that what you call it? 'Hooking up'?"

"WHAT! Are you serious? Who?"

"Well, I was going to tell you all about it at the concert tonight!"

"I still don't know..."

"Why not?"

I didn't care much about gettin in trouble. It was more so the people. "I'm not good with crowds."

"What do you mean?"

"Just... Ugh. I'll see if I can get out."

"Yes, please do! That'll be amazing!"

"Okay talk to you later."

"Bye doll!"

I hung up the phone with Rist when Remy walk in and assumed, "So you got a plan?"

I guess all I am is a string of mistakes, but why fight what you are?

...

Remy distracted the adults back at home long enough for me to sneak out and meet Risty at the concert. The mosh pit was already mashing together when I got there. I amazingly found Risty but also bumped into some X-men. Apparently after Scott confessed his love to Jean this is their first date.

"What are you doing here?"

"No, the question is: What are _you _doing here?" Scott challenged.

"Aren't you grounded?"

"I have a lesser sentencing obviously. _I_ didn't invite all of Bayville to our house!"

"You guys need to calm down," Risty intervened. "What could go wrong? Lets just enjoy the concert huh?"

The mosh pit was starting to cave in on our screaming. Someone bumped me into Risty. My wrist glided against her arm. Risty's skin turned blue. My head started spinning. Thats the last thing I remember.

...

My blackened blurry vision lessen as I was greeted by Remy's red eyes. "Thank god you're alright chere." He hugged me so tight I thought I would pop.

"Remy... what... what happened?" How many times is this going to happen in our relationship? Where Remy is going to have to explain what happened during one of my blackouts.

"Risty was Mystique. When you touched her you absorbed her powers an' you became everyone she has ever shifted into. We have been chasin you 'round town for hours tryin to calm you down. You saw me and got a lil less crazy enough for the Professor to reach in your mind and pull you out. And then you kissed Logan."

"What?"

"Hah, you tell me."

"Ah... Ah don't know why I would do that." So Logan was that rugged kind of handsome, sure I had noticed. And in some weird way we have this connection to each other where we are he only ones that seem to understand. But I kissed him?

xxxx

"Rogue shhh its okay."

"Get out LeBeau."

"As soon as I got up she started screamin! I'm not leavin'!"

"Whats going on?" My eyes opened. I looked at Logan who was in my room. "So... I guess our secret lil sleepovers aren't that secret anymore."

"Yeah cats outta the bag. Remy get out. Now."

"I don't think so _bub_."

"Why you lil..." Logan looked liked he was about to pounce when The Professor wheeled in and stopped any possible altercation.

"Whats going on?"

"I was doing a bed check and found Remy asleep in Rogue's room," Logan explained.

"And I was gonna be a good lil boy an' leave but Rogue started screaming. She has been having nightmares for de past week ever since the Risty sitch... Mystique... whatever."

"I was screamin?" I questioned.

"Yeah..."

"I know I have been havin nightmares but I didn't think I was screamin about it."

"They been going on since exactly Sunday?" The Professor interviewed.

"Yeah. She mutters stuff but I can't make it out. She's been cryin' too." I like how Remy just accepts it. He has been holding me for nights while I screamed or cried the whole time?

"Rogue lets head to the basement. When you fall asleep I can enter your mind and observe the situation," The Professor offered.

"This sounds kinda weird," -and maybe pathetic- "but I can't sleep without Remy. I don't like sleepin alone. When I am alone I just end up starin at the ceilin for hours."

"Okay Remy you need to come too," The Prof agreed.

Logan interjected, "But Professor-"

"Its fine Logan. Go back to bed. I will handle it from here." We walked away from Logan who was steaming in an angry huff. "Tell me more about the dreams. Rogue, do you have any recollection of what they are about?"

"Yeah... I'm runnin. Well I don't know if its actually meh. I just assume it is cuz I feel it. I feel outta breath and sweaty and nervous cuz I'm runnin away from somethang, someone. I'm holding onto somethang real tight. I trip and fall... I dunno. Its all hazy sometimes I relive the same part of the dream and other times it keeps going."

"Okay, okay. Tonight we will just let you get some sleep. I'm gonna hook you up to some machines to test your brain waves. It will examine the level of stress you're under which will give me a better strategy for entering your mind."

"Whatever you say Professor."

The Professor told me to sleep in the infirmary room for the night and to get used to it for the next few days. I don't even know if I was asleep, but I woke up a few hours later in no hurry to get ready for school. This Thanksgiving break was hardly a vacation. It was non stop drama which was mostly my fault I know, but still. I need a vacation.

The day went on slowly. Every bell seemed to take hours to ring for each class. My only relief would have been French but Remy wasn't in class since he was getting ready for the afterschool football game tonight. I was excited mosty because he was excited. I knew he would do great.

The New York night was a bitter cold so after school I headed back to the mansion to grab a few layers. Then the X-men piled into the van and headed to the Bayville football game. I met with Remy outside the locker room just before the game.

"Hey, look at you all decked out in your uniform. You look good Cajun." Extremely sexy... Okay Rogue, calm down.

He hugged me, "I'm glad you came."

"The whole gang is here to watch you play. Even Jean and Scott which is weird." Jean and Scott were officially dating but it was odd that they were attending the football game where Duncan was the quarterback.

"I'm sure dey aren't just here for me."

"Well maybe not Lance cuz I think he mostly just wants to see Kitty in her cheerleading outfit."

"Of course."

"You're gonna do great."

"I know. Tu es ma chance." He kissed the inside of my wrist which was covered by my black leather gloves. He smiled knowing that just below it was our matching R and R tattoos a permanent reminder of our weekend in New Orleans. "Je t'aime chere."

_"That ride was amazin! Lets go on it again!"_

_"Give me a chance to breathe damn. Isn't your stomach in knots chere?"_

_"Come on that was nothin."_

_"Dat ride practically had band-aids on it. I'm suprised we survived."_

_"I thought it was a blast."_

_"I t'ink you're a blast chere." He put his arm around my shoulders and brought me closer to him where he kissed the top of my head. "Where'd you come from huh?"_

_"Hah, what is that supposed tah mean?"_

_"You just dropped from the sky an found me, thats what I mean."_

_"You believe in fate?"_

_"Not til now." We were about to kiss when a small blonde grabbed Remy and tore him away from me._

_"Remy what de hell is dis? Someone called me and told me your galavantin 'round town with some tramp! I'm assumin dis is her!" Okay yesterday I woulda taken tramp last night considerin how I was dressed but not today. I was just in jeans and a tee for cryin out loud._

_"Bella... don't do dis..."_

_"Did you know he has a girlfriend? As in me?" Bella placed her hand on her hip and I almost laughed out loud._

_"We aren't together anymore Bell. Its been over two months come on."_

_"Wow, thats kinda pathetic." I bit my lip not meaning to say that out loud._

_"Don't even mess me wit me right now!" _

_She was on the edge of an attack. Now I really did laugh. She was so tiny! Like she could take meh? Yeah right. "Sugah, you better step back before you hurt yourself. Ah think you should go now."_

_"URGH!" She stormed off._

_"Wow, I love you."_

_I nearly choked, "What?"_

_"Do you know how much...how long, I have waited to do dat? You're amazin."_

"I love you too." He ran out onto the field to a screaming crowd. I knew the Cajun would bask in the glory, but he deserved it. My phone rang a second later with an anonymous number as the caller. I had been waiting for this call, "Hello?"

"I traced the account back to New Orleans. It belongs to a Jean-Luc LeBeau." The mysterious voice on the phone answered my mind boggling question. The question that has kept me up at night...

What? Remy's own dad... no way. This can't be true. "Are you positive?"

"Yes. You know I am very thorough," the stranger reminded. "Isn't that why we continue to do business together?"

"Yes... its just that this new information makes the puzzle even more complicated."

"Not that I want to add to your worry, but there is something else...The account that the client wired the money to wasn't under Mystique's usual alias. Its a private account in Germany."

"Germany? The account is in Germany?" Why wouldn't Mystique use her usual account?

"Yes and it belongs to a Kurt Wagner."

"What?" What the hell is going on here... Mystique and Kurt? No... this can't be.

"Thats what it says."

"Well, thanks for lookin into this for meh."

"Of course."

I was walking over to the bleachers where Kurt was waving me to join them. Kurt... this can't be some ploy. Kurt is the nicest guy you'd ever meet. He can't possibly be working for Mystique. I would know. I would have to know. I worked with Mystique for the past year... she's my adopted mother (though was hardly a mother to me in any way) I would know if she had any connection to Kurt. Its impossible. Kurt doesn't have the ability to be devious. He says a prayer everytime he sees road kill. He is too much of a saint to be working for Mystique.

"Rogue! Hurry! You told me you would explain the game of football to me. And they are about to kick the ball."

"Kurt... you would tell me if you were in trouble right? I mean if anything is goin on and you're afraid to tell someone because of what might happen... you know you can tell me right? I know we aren't that close but... you can tell me."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just anything... anything that you need."

"I could go for one of those hot dogs... I'm starving!"

"You are always starving..." Kurt couldn't possibly be with Mystique...

Remy lived up to his star status and won the game with a touch down. The stands burst out onto the field but I stayed put. Remy escaped the crowd and ran up the steps to meet me.

"Remy!" I swept him up in a hug. "I'm so proud of you sugah. You were amazing and-" He kissed me. His long brown hair was dripping with sweat and he was covered in mud but I didn't care.

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Update :D haha what'd you think? Keep up with the reviews! Cuz i love em!


	10. Dreams of Tomorrow

I slapped his arm, "What'd you do that for?"

"Ow."

"Remy!"

"Why did I just kiss you?"

"YES!"

"Cuz I wanted to."

"But... how did you know you wouldn't be passed out on the floor right now?"

"I didn't. I just don't care."

"You don't care if you end up in a coma? Well, I do. I know we just kissed but that might-" He inturrupted my lecture with another kiss. "Remy! Stop!" I pushed away from him.

"I'm fine! Look I can kiss you all I want," he playfully pecked at my lips, cheeks and neck. "An' dere ain't not'in you can do about it now. Anna, I love you."

"I love you too."

He bent down on one knee,"I'm always gonna love you."

"Remy... what are you doing?" Complete and utter shock does not even begin to describe my mind set right now.

"If you'd be quiet for one second I could get to the marrying me part."

"Remy! I can't-"

"You're ruinin de romance here." He reached under his layers of protective padding and recovered a light blue box. A princess cut diamond on a white gold band greeted me. It was beautiful. Gorgeous. Stunning. I don't think words could describe...

"Did you steal that?"

"No! Jeez... always thinkin the worst of me."

"Given your reputation..."

"Hah, okay. Can't blame you for dat one."

"So, whats it for?"

"It was my mothers. When Jean-Luc found me, it was the only thing I had to my name 'sides de clothes on my back. I don't remember her, but I kept the ring around my neck for a long time... I never thought I'd be de kind of guy to fall in love with a fille like you... de kind a guy to get married, but den I look at you and I can't imagine my life any other way. I love you. I'm always gonna love you. I want to marry you. It doesn't have to be tomorrow or even next year but someday because I'm crazy in love wit you chere. So... what do yah say?"

"Get up."

A confused look splashed on his face, "But-"

"Just get up Remy. Please just get up. This is gettin' way too cliche."

"Cliche? Come on, I thought it was pretty original."

"The whole star football player after winning the big game... did you have that ring on you the whole game?"

"Maybe," he said as he got up off his knee.

"Are you serious about this?"

"Of course I am. Why would I-"

I ran into his arms, "Yes. I'll marry you Remy LeBeau. Maybe not tomorrow or next year but yes I will marry you someday."

* * *

Mysteryrogue: So so short, I know. But I thought the proposal should stand on its own and be its own sweet lil fluff chapter :D


	11. Secrets

_"You must be a true southern gentleman to hafta hold yourself back from tellin that girl off. She seems _mighty _annoyin."_

_"And you sure are somet'ing else."_

_"Well, whats next. You took me on a rollercoaster that could have easily been mah death, now what do yah got planned?"_

_"How crazy you wanna get?"_

_"Depends on what you had in mind."_

_"Two things. The first is a lil permanent and its just around the block."_

_..._

_"A tattoo parlor huh?"_

_"Yeah, I just turned sixteen a lil bit ago and I've been wanting a tat for a while. You don't have to get one, but I might ask you to hold my hand. Show off my sensitive side," he smirked. "Would you mind?"_

_"I wouldn't mind at all. If you return the favor..."_

_"You gonna get one?"_

_"Sure, but I thought you had to have your parents permission or somethang."_

_"Didn't you know I was de Prince of New Orleans? You're granted whatever you'd like."_

_"So what'll it be?" The tattoo artist asked._

_"First lets do somethang to cement de occasion," I suggested._

_"Yeah, I get what you mean. I feel like you're gonna disappear on me chere... like all dis ain't real. But you are real, right? I ain't talkin to myself?" He asked the man in front of us._

_"She's real alright," he quietly answered somehow embarrassed by our array of affection. We were obviously in our own little world, that swirled with a love we had yet to fully understand._

_"I know exactly what to get," I drew out two R's. One was right side up while the other was backwards and upside down as it leaned on the other. "R for Remy and R for Rogue."_

_"Rogue?"_

_"Its somethang Ah've been going by lately." Sounded good on paper._

_"I like it."_

_We held each others hands as we took turns going under the needle. The pain seemed to lessen when we touched._

_..._

"Mornin' chere."

"Mornin'." After the impromptu proposal, we drove back to the mansion. Remy and I snuck off onto the roof with blankets in hand. We fell asleep talking under the stars and woke up to snow. I know its crazy... its not a realistic proposal. I don't forsee myself in a white dress walkin down an aisle anytime soon. I'm only fifteen for crying out loud! But its the romance of it all. There isn't anyone out there like Remy I can tell you that. I can't picture my life without him. I love him. And he loves me. I guess thats all anyone can ask for.

"Woah."

"Woah what?"

"Your eyes..."

"What about em?"

"Its like... Its like I'm lookin in a mirror."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means they're my eyes."

"Huh?" I exited our cover of warmth and got to the closest mirror as fast as I could. Jean was in the bathroom with a green paste covering her face, but I threw her out. I shut the door, looked in the mirror and couldn't help my jaw from dropping. Remy was right. I was looking into a mirror, but where my eyes used to be Remy's were there instead. I blinked but the rubies didn't go away. It was in that moment that I realized I had to do something about yesterdays epiphany. Kurt had a connection to Mystique and I was going to find out what it was. It was hard enough lookin at Remy knowing that I was keeping things from him. There is never a day where it escapes my mind. Seein his eyes as mine makes it even worse. I would find out why Jean Luc wanted Remy gone. I would find out why Kurt was the recipient of the bounty. It would be today.

I ran into the Professor's office not knowing a meeting was taking place, "Oh I'm sorry... Ah didn't mean tah-"

"What happened to your eyes?" Logan growled.

"Well, thats kinda what I wanted to talk to the Professor about. Remy and I kissed yesterday and this happened."

"You kissed?" Ororo questioned in disbelief.

"Yeah... nothin happened to him. He is fine. But I woke up this mornin like this."

The Professor hypothesized, "It should go away in time."

"Sorry to inturrupt your lil pow wow. What goes on?"

Ororo and Logan looked to Xavier who answered after a brief moment, "An intruder."

"Now? Shouldn't we be in attack mode?" I suddenly felt the victim. Its odd to think that powerful mutants could ever be taken by suprise. I felt vunerable.

"It was Pietro. In a breath he was gone."

"What did he want?"

"I don't know, but I don't like it. Aren't these damn security measures supposed to be the highest tech there is?" Logan huffed.

"All we know is that Kurt has gone missing. I do not sense an immediate danger. We will wait a while before a search team is sent-"

The elder X-men members called out to me after I sped out of the room. The Professor would know I was heading to Kurt's room and could predict my actions, but he let me go. Kurt was meeting Mystique. I could already feel it. The water had been boiling and it was rising to overflow. Whatever was goin on here wasn't gonna escape meh.

Kurt's room was a pigsty. Piles of clothes were littered all around as well as moldy left overs and overdue homework assignments that were strewn across the floor. How did he live in here? I guess thats why most of his time is spent in the kitchen. Okay okay... focus. What was I looking for? A clue? What could it be? Under the matress would be a good start. I just hope its not porn because who knows what kind of freaky stuff Kurt would... a letter? Or an envelope that a letter was once in. Only a strip remained dictating an address. I recognized the hand writing.

Evan knocked on the door, "What are you doing in here?"

"Nothing. I gotta go."

Evan's suspicious intuition kept me from passing through the door way. "Do you know where Remy is? We were supposed to shoot some hoops today. Hope he doesn't bail on me just cuz he got beat last time."

"He is on the roof."

"The roof...?"

"Thats where I left him."

"What happened to your eyes?"

"Evan, I really have to go now." Logan wouldn't mind me borrowing his motorcycle would he? Too late to think of the repercusions.

...

The address was a construction site. It was just down the street from Bayville High and hadn't been touched in months because of the weather. And there they were. Scheming.

"So, you are workin with Mystique. Why?"

"Rogue, I-" Kurt tried to explain.

"Rogue, leave. You have no place here. Stop meddling," Mystique snapped.

"I have every right to meddle. What is going on here? Why have you been lying to the X-men about your secret dealings with Mystique?" It wasn't so much about the X-men. Mystique already proved to be a psychotic freak time and time again. I wanted her gone. I wanted her out of my life. Dead. Yet she kept coming back into my life over and over again. She is an infectious virus that I can't seem to get rid of and her time is wearing thin.

"I haven't been lying! I have never come into contact with Mystique before this day. Pietro dropped off a letter that said my birth mom wanted to meet me and-"

"Didn't you think that was a little odd?"

"Of course I did! Which is why I had to go in search of the truth."

"Which is?"

"Mystique... is my mother."

"She is lying to you."

"No, I'm not Rogue. Why would I lie about this?" Though there was a certain similarity between the two, but this couldn't be possible.

"Because your sick. Why do you do any of the things you do? Like pretending to be Risty to get information on the X-men-"

"Yes, I infiltrated the mansion when I saw the opportunity but becoming Risty wasn't supposed to harm you."

"How could it not? You lied. You pretended to be somethang you weren't to get close to me. With alterior motives of course."

"Yes, I did have alterior motives but they weren't evil. I wanted to be closer to you. I missed out on being a mother to you which is why I finally had enough courage to seek out Kurt."

"You are not my mother. You never were my mother. And you won't be Kurt's either. You aren't a person. You are some sort of evil entity that sucks out all the good of everything around you. Of everyone. You leave nothing behind as you destroy everythang in your path. Kurt has a good heart. He is on the right path, somethang that took me mah whole life to find after you messin me up so badly! I won't stand for it any longer."

"What are you going to do? Are you going to kill me? Your own mother?"

"You aren't my mother!" I was about to lunge when Remy grabbed my arm taking away from my stride.

"She isn't worth it Rogue. You're better than her."

"Oh, you think she is some sort of saint?"

My heart stopped beating as a saw the vengence slop out of her pores. "Mystique, don't."

"Don't you ever wonder why you're precious Rogue was in Louisianna in the first place? She has never told you. She planned to never tell you. To keep her secrets."

"Mystique... stop," I begged.

"She was there to kill you."

"What?" Remy still held onto my arm.

"You're own father wanted you dead and couldn't do the job himself so he found me."

"You're lyin."

"Why would I lie about such things? I have nothing to gain from it. Its the truth. I sent Rogue not knowing I was the hand of fate. You fell in love... but love can't survive on lies. Ask her Gambit. Ask your precious Rogue the truth."

"Dis is crazy. Rogue, she is lyin..." I knew he could see the answer in my face. I didn't want to lie to him. I never wanted that. "Anna..." He finally let go of me.

"I _am _going to kill you!" I sprinted at her with my full force. As soon as I got close enough she transformed into a raven and flew off. "DAMN IT!"

"Rogue... its not true. It can't be..." I sulked back to him not knowing what to say, how to fix this. I touched his arm and he pushed away from me, "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"Remy..."

"You lied. Everyt'in was a lie."

"No, it wasn't!"

"You came to New Orleans to murder me?" I could see his brain playing back the memories of the weekend we spent together. I hoped he could see my face as he kissed me. I hope he could feel my heart beating as my wanting for him increased with every passing minute. I hoped he could see my focus on every word he breathed. He had to know I wasn't a mirage. I was real. My feelings were real. The time we spent together was real. I love him. I still do.

"Yes... but as soon as I saw you I knew I wasn't going to! I loved you Remy. Even then."

"No... no..." he muttered.

"I was going to tell you the truth, but when I found out it was your father I didn't know what to do."

"Not'ing... not'ing was real. Dis was all some sick game? You toyed wit me-"

"No I didn't! Those days I spent with you were the best of my life! You have to believe me!"

"I can't believe anyt'in you say. You're just as bad as she is. As much as you try to escape her, she is a part of you."

"Remy, don't say that. I can explain everythin, just give me a chance. Please..."

"Whats going on?" Evan questioned as he arrived to the scene.

"Evan, not now!" I yelled through my gritted teeth never taking my eyes off of Remy though he refused to look at me.

"You have to get back to the mansion. The Professor used Cerebro to find out where you were, but something went wrong and he blacked out. He is in a coma." I didn't even have to guess who was at fault. Mystique... thats what she was doing at the mansion. We were so distracted with Jean and the Danger Room that Cerebro was overlooked. The Professor... "We have to go."

I weakly spoke, "Remy...?"

I reached out for him again only to be screamed at once again, "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

He didn't say anything as he walked away. He just... left. I knew not to chase after him... to let him breathe. But two weeks passed by and he never came back.

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Updates less often huh? sorry :( I haven't been on the internet much since I got an itouch haha now i just check my mail and fb instead of writing! tsk tsk, I know. But I plan to focus on Remy and Rogue more so even with everything going on.

What did you think of this chap? Short ish? Remy finally found out the truth and didn't take to it too well :/

Thanks for the reviews and subscriptions! They really keep me going! Everytime I get an email letting me know it inspires me to write, so thanks. Ur the best :D

twiztidchick, untoughablerogue, imaginetheworldwicked, aceofcyberspace, misswatson, theisis, and whoever else i missed haha. Thanks so much for the support.


	12. The Truth

_"So if the tattoos were the first crazy thing then what's the second?"_

_"Its crazy and maybe even dangerous," he warned._

_"You said that about that lil rollercoaster back at the fair. I handled that pretty well so shoot."_

_"I was t'inkin dinner at my house."_

_"What is so scary about that?"_

_"Well, my dad'll be dere."_

_"He couldn't be that bad. Now mah step mom, if you could even call her that, she is bad. Psycho actually. Ah doubt your dad could be as bad as that."_

_"He just ain't gonna like you."_

_"Right off the bat?"_

_"Yup."_

_"Mind tellin' me why?"_

_"Its just that... that blonde girl you told off earlier we grew up together and it recently hit my father and her father to come up wit de idea dat her and I should be together. They were literally picturin our wedding and the future bebes which is just ridicule. But then I broke up wit her and it didn't go so well. Now if I bring you home it might not be such a momentous occassion."_

_"Whats the big deal? Its not like we're getting married or anythang."_

_"Yeah, its just dat I have never introduced him to a girl before."_

_"I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anythang. We can hang out tomorrow. Or maybe even tonight?" I smirked picturing Romeo climbing in through my window..._

_"No, come on. Lets go."_

_I couldn't help but smile when I got there picturing us from the night before. We were greeted by Jean-Luc, Remy's adopted father. Remy lived on the streets until he was seven when Jean found him. He took him in and gave him opportunity, a life Remy never thought possible. I was intrigued to meet the man who made Remy the man he is today._

_"Dad this is my..." Remy paused not knowing what to call me._

_"His friend Anna," I answered. "Its nice to meet you."_

_"Friend?" Jean-Luc questioned._

_"Yeah, friend." Remy agreed._

_"Friends don't stay the night," he smiled._

_"I... uh..." We both burst out laughing._

The worst, most debilitating, part of Remy being gone was having to look him in the eye every morning in the mirror. The ruby eyes we shared stared at me each morning until I couldn't stand it anymore. Pain, sorrow, and betrayal filled them crushing my core. But I kept going back to the mirror reminding myself of the hurt, promising to make it right. He would come back. He has to come back.

I had no optimism at the knock of my door. I stayed silent until the visitor entered. "Hey, you're Rogue right? My name is Bobby. I'm the new X-man "

"Thats nice." His intrusion didn't stop me from laying in bed and staring at the ceiling.

"Everyone is outside playing in the snow, but I'm kinda sick of the snow so I thought I-"

"Yeah, you can go now."

"Okay... wow. When that girl downstairs said you were a complete bitch I thought she was just kidding or something but you really are a bitch."

"Oh and who said that?"

His fierce attitude disappeared at my challenge, "I don't think I should tell you..."

"No, come on. I want to know."

"Okay... well it was Kitty."

"Yeah she is kinda my best friend."

"Then why would she call you a bitch?"

"Her not-really-boyfriend ditched their dinner date and she is mad that I knew where he was and she doesn't."

"Why don't you tell her where he was?"

"Because he asked me not to."

"Oh... well... sorry I called you a bitch. But you gotta admit you were kinda being-"

"I know."

"Do you ever let anyone finish a sentence?"

"Sometimes. Look, you finished that one."

"Right... well why aren't you outside with everyone else?"

"Because I don't want to be."

"You'd rather be stuck in here all by yourself in the dark?"

"Yup."

"But why?"

"Are you always asking so many questions and being this annoying all the time?"

"Yeah," he shrugged.

"I just want to wallow okay?"

"But... why?"

"I lost a... friend and I'm kinda upset about it okay?"

"Did she die?"

"No, _he _just left."

"What do you mean 'left'?"

"He had to go away and its my fault and Ah don't really wanna talk about it."

"Thats okay."

He started to sit down on the floor next to me. I rolled over, "What are you doing?"

"Sitting here with you."

"Why?"

"I don't know. You seem like you could use the company."

"Actually I just want to be alone."

"And where has that gotten you lately?"

"...True."

Initial findings: Bobby Drake. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Boston native. Freshman. Power of ice. Spending the few days before Christmas at the mansion to get used to the deal. Not as annoying as first interpreted.

We talked for an hour or so before Evan called us down to dinner. "Rogue, its your turn to set the table. Everyone is waiting on you."

He began to sneak away but I called out to him, "Hey! Don't think you could just walk away from me Evan!"

"Rogue, please just stop. I didn't tell you anything yesterday what makes you think anything is different today?"

We walked down the stairs and made our way to the kitchen. "I know you still talk to him. Tell me what he's said. Tell me what I can do please I'm beggin yah Evan. Please."

"No. He is my friend okay?"

"I'm your friend."

"Exactly. Anything you told me that you didn't want Remy to know I would keep a secret."

"Its not about secrets, its about the truth. All I want for you is to tell me the truth. How bad is it?"

"Rogue..."

"Remy won't talk to me! He won't return my calls. He won't let me explain. I don't know if he is ever going to come back. I don't know if I should go to New Orleans. I don't know what to do. I'm losin my mind here."

"Don't go to New Orleans. Thats all I can say right now. Just give him space."

"He's gonna come back?" A glimmer of hope?

"I don't know," he put his hands up in defense. "Honest."

"Can we just sit down and eat dinner? Please," he whispered as we took our seats at the table. Bobby was about to take the seat next to me as he caught up but was nudged aside by Kitty.

"You know me and Lance are fighting because of you."

"Right... because of _me_. Of course," I said with biting sarcasm.

"Why can't you just tell me?"

"Why can't _he _just tell _you_?" Two days ago Lance and Kitty had a date. They were gonna go to some restaurant as their first official date, which never happened because Lance had to do community service for his probation which he forgot about. A few weeks before he joined the X-men, he helped robbed a liquor store. Blob and Toad left him there to take the blame. Lance had no idea those idiots luckily the judge let him off easy and sentenced him to ninety days of community service with a year or so of probation. Cleaning up the highway one day and volunteering at an animal shelter the next. Lance didn't want Kitty to see him in a negative light since he has been changing for the better ever since joinin the X-men. So he thought blaming me would make it better. I didn't know he used me as an excuse and spoiled his fabricated story. Now he isn't talking to Kitty and neither am I because I don't want to do anything to put me on thin ice with Lance. He hated me for a bit after Remy left or more so didn't know how to be around me. If he should be nice or not or even talk to me at all. I'm suprised he is still here at the mansion with Remy gone. I'm suprised I'm still here.

The pot roast had been cultivating in a crock pot for hours now. The sweet drooling scent of the meat filled the house all day and everyone was finally glad to get a taste. Dinner went on noisily like usual. It was mostly used as an introduction meeting for Bobby. He was already in everyones good graces upon arriving after making a fantasy snow land outside for sledding and snow ball fights but he tried to make an impression nonetheless.

Lance was noticeably absent infuriating Kitty even more but he did show up around dessert. He quietly entered the dining room and whispered if they could talk. She abruptly and loudly answered, "Whatever you have to say just say it."

The room was eerily quiet knowing that Kitty, although a sweet Christian girl, could just as well be a vengeful psycho at any minute. She was cute, sure, but more often than not a little gremlin. "Lets just talk outside..."

I nearly pleaded, "Yeah, go talk outside to avoid this becoming awkwardly embarrassing."

"No whatever he has to say he can say it in front of everyone. Why weren't you at dinner?" Kitty interegated.

"I had this... volunteer work to do."

"You have got to be joking."

"No, I'm serious. Thats why I missed our date and why I wasn't at dinner tonight... Its part of my probation."

"Rogue is this...?" I nodded to confirm. "Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

"She shouldn't have had to tell you anything," Lance interjected. "I should have told you and I'm sorry for lying and for dragging Rogue into this in the first place."

"What kind of volunteer work were you doing?" Jean wondered.

"Today it was a meals on wheels gig," he answered solemnly.

Kitty lept up and hugged him, "Thats great!"

"It is?"

"Yeah, thats really good. A relief... I just..." Her mind fluttered.

They kissed. We clapped. The night ended.

We haven't laughed that hard since the Professors condition. He isn't doing any better or worse just this solemn comatose state that frightens us all. No one goes down there to visit him except Scott and Ororo. Its too depressing I guess. Its hardly real. At the party, "Risty" infiltrated Cerebro and tainted it. So when the Professor used it, his mind got lost. Thats how his friend Moria explained it to us. She comes by every week or so to check up on him. Do some tests. But nothing works.

And yet life goes on. Slowly but surely.

Like Kitty and Lance's new found love. Who would have thought? I haven't known Lance that long, but the change is obvious. He used to be this brooding bad boy or at least pretended to be. Kitty seems to be a good influence on him. They're a cute couple really. They work at it and it works for them. I never thought I'd miss being a couple. Before Remy I didn't care about boyfriends or anything serious. Mostly because I thought a physical relationship would never happen, but even before my powers manifested a single life was something I could be content with. You think that being single is no big deal and it isn't but its those little details that you long for. A soft embrace, an inside joke, a loving kiss... Remy has got to be missing it too, right?

...

I entered the elevator when Logan joined me, "Mind if I walk you down to the lab?" We referred to the infirmary room as the lab now considering I was its guinea pig. The past few nights I have been poked and prodded, hooked up to all sorts of machines. The Professor set up theses tests of my brain waves when I had first mentioned the problem a few weeks ago, hoping to get a reaction from my nightmare but I haven't dreamed that scene in a long time. Now its mostly just black... or Remy is in it. In one dream he shot me. I woke up before I knew if I died or not.

"Sure."

"I just wanted to talk to you... about yesterday morning."

"I don't know why Ah kissed you, okay? I don't know why I did it the first time and I don't know why I did it yesterday. I blacked out right after or... before. I don't know, but it wasn't me. Thats the god honest truth."

"I just wanted to make sure you don't... you know..."

"Are you trying to... let me down easy or somethin?" This was humiliating. Finally the elevator reached the basement. It seemd like the longest ride of my life.

"Well-"

"I don't... _like _you. Not like that. Thats just weird." How can I even think about liking anyone else considering my fresh wounds from Remy's absence? And for it to be Logan?

"Just makin sure. It doesn't really help anything when you kiss me in front of all the students after the Danger Room session. What is going on in that head of yours?"

"I have no idea. I just... Nothing seems like mine anymore. None of my thoughts or feelings are _mine_. I dream in French now. Its the most annoying thing. And the other day I drank a chocolate milkshake. I had a craving for a chocolate milk shake and I don't even like them! Not even my taste buds are mine. Thats why I don't know what possessed meh to kiss you. I'm mortified if that makes you feel any better."

"It doesn't, but its good to know."

"So we're cool? I mean I kinda ignored you yesterday and it was weird... I don't want things to be weird."

"Don't worry pip squeek, they ain't."

Hours into the night, Logan was sleeping on the cot next to me and was instantly startled by my gasping breath and tears. He retrieved Jean who tried to make sense of the madness.

"I'm no Professor Logan," she admitted.

"I know, but come on help the girl out."

"I will try." She turned to me, "Okay Rogue. Just relax and try to replay the dream in your head."

"It... It starts out with me running. No, wait... I'm at a castle." I closed my eyes as Jean reached her fingers to my temple. My eye lashes fluttered as I continued, "I grab something from upstairs and run out. But he is chasing me."

Jean prodded, "_Who _is chasing you? Try to see his face."

"Its... Its dark. I'm holding onto something. I can barely breathe. I can't... Wait... oh my god. Its not me. This isn't my dream. Its Mystique's. My arms are blue. I'm holding a baby... Its... AHH!" I pushed Jean away who fell to the floor as if a force field lit up around me. "Its Mystique's memory. The baby is Kurt. What was she doing to him..."

"Should we do some investigating? Would you know how to get to the castle?" Logan asked, mission ready.

"Rogue was only focused on Magneto, but I saw the whole scene around her. Magneto was in some sort of lab," Jean described.

"A lab?"

"Whatever it was, it was bad enough for Mystique to run away. That is sayin something," I noted.

"We will check it out in the morning."

"You're just going to fly to Germany?"

"Germany?"

"Thats where its at."

"Well, we need answers."

Morning came and went but I missed the wake up call so Logan and Jean went without me. I knew the would find the castle because Jean got a clearer picture of it than I did. I was more so afraid of what they would find. I'm not that close to Kurt, but I like him. He is a good kid and I need to protect him from whatever Mystique is planning. She always has alterior motives and I know this is no different.

Last night Jean erased as much of Mystique's persona as she could and I could feel the difference inside myself when I woke up late in the afternoon completely refreshed. I felt lighter. Now that I think about it, I have quite a few different people inside my head. The Professor did the best to drown them out but its like a computer: you can delete the file but its still floating around there somewhere. I feel so many emotions every minute and half of them I don't even understand. A normal person could probably get over their boyfriend leaving them but not me. I feel the pain on my side and I feel Remy's pain as well. It goes way past empathy. I know Remy is mad, hurt, betrayed. But I can't do anything about it. Maybe I should just accept my failure and move on. Try and... live life.

My tangent was inturrupted by a phone call. Logan and Jean found the castle which reeked of genetic testing experiments. Before they could launch a full scale investigation the building started to collapse and was rigged with explosives. They barely made it out with their lives. They were heading home from Germany and warned me not to tell Kurt about anything. We would all discuss what to do when they got back. Blah, blah, yeah, okay. Where is the elf anyway?

I left the basement and headed to Kitty's room. I wanted to know where Kurt was and instead of wandering the mansion I knew Kitty (as the gossip, I mean, communication hub) would know exactly where he is and keep me from wasting time. "What are you doing?"

"I'm packing for Chicago. What do you think... purple or blue sweater?"

"I'm suprised its not a debate between pink or pink."

"Oh! The pink sweater! You're right thats perfect!"

Sigh. "Are you leaving tonight?"

"Yeah, Logan is supposed to take us to the airport along with Bobby, Ororo, and Evan."

"Us?"

"Lance is coming with! I'm so nervous about him officially meeting my parents but they will love him because I do."

"LOVE?"

"Okay, maybe not love just yet but smitten for sure."

"Thats more like it," we giggled. "So what about Kurt? Isn't he taking the red eye to Germany tonight too?"

"Um... I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? You know everything."

"I know, but I just don't know about him."

"Why not?"

"Uh..."

"What aren't you telling me?"

"What are you talking about?" She said nonchalant.

"Where is he?" I proded.

"He is..."

"Kitty!"

"OKay, he is at the Brotherhood house."

"What? Why?"

"He is hanging out with Mystique."

"Hanging out? What?"

"I don't know!"

...

"Mystique!" I slammed open the door. I found Mystique in the kitchen with Kurt serving him spaghetti as if this was the most normal occurance.

"Rogue, I'm glad to see you too."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm having lunch with my son."

"Stop."

"Stop what? Its just a family lunch, would you like to join us?" Was she mocking me?

"I can't believe you, you-"

"Rogue, please just leave. If you're not going to be nice-" Kurt began but I immediately inturrupted.

"You think she is _so _great, don't you?"

"Rogue, please calm down. Join us," Mystique offered.

"No." I broke all composure, "I'm going to kill you!" I took a step forward reaching for the nearest knife and pressed it to her throat in one fluid motion.

"Rogue!" Kurt cried out as he teleported me away in a millisecond.

"She isn't perfect! She isn't this wonderful person Kurt!"

"I know that!" He restrained me, "But she is trying okay! And its not your decision its mine!"

"Let go of me!" I turned my head and grazed my nose against his face, the only spot I could reach. It was enough for him to lose his strength. "I know about Germany and the castle and Magneto! And I am not afraid to tell him."

"How do you..."

I tapped my skull giving her the answer.

"Don't Rogue. I am trying. I really am trying to make amends not just with Kurt but with you too."

"NO! I don't want to hear it!" I attacked her again. The knife was my weapon again as I slashed at her arm. "You made me lose Remy! All you want to do is hurt everyone around you! Its your fault! Everything is your fault!" I was crying now but never lost my anger, "I lost Remy because of YOU!"

The knife was at her neck again, but she pleaded, "Rogue, don't! I can tell you the truth!"

"The truth about what!"

"Remy's murder."

"What?"

"It was Belladonna and her father who put out the hit on Remy because he refused to marry Belladonna when he turned sixteen. It wasn't Jean-Luc who wanted him gone but it was me that they both got for the job."

"What do you mean, what are you talking about?" The knife lay flat against her neck pressed into her skin.

"Jean-Luc found out that I was hired to kill his son. He paid me double not to and we devised a plan."

"What plan?"

"I got you to go in my place that first night but I saw how enamored you both were and knew you would never kill him. Jean-Luc knew that too. He found me that night at Cajun Spice to offer me the money. We planned to fake his death. I could morph into his body, no one would know the difference. I thought you two would run off together, but when you left him we had to change our plan. It pleased the Assassins and you and Remy got to be together in the end. I brought him here so you would be happy." In some sick way, its like Mystique's blessing of my relationship with Remy.

"His dad knew I was supposed to kill Remy?"

"Yes. Remy knows nothing about this and whatever they are telling him right now in New Orleans is a lie. Jean-Luc wants peace between the Thieves guild and the Assasins."

"I was never going to kill him." Does this change anything? I still thought I was going to kill him. Remy would still be mad... but he should know the truth.

"I know."

"I wasn't ever supposed to kill him."

"No, you weren't."

"Jean-Luc knows this? He knows about me? He knows about my true feelings for Remy?"

"Yes."

"This is good." Maybe... I could still fix things.

"I never meant to hurt you Rogue."

"I should kill you right now. This world would be much better off without you." I gritted my teeth. I had to kill her. I had-

"Rogue stop!" Kurt lifted me off of his mother.

I knew this would sting but it was the only way to help Kurt see. "Mystique isn't this long lost mother of yours Kurt."

"Rogue, don't!" Mystique began to cry, the first time I had ever seen real tears.

"You think she gave you up for adoption. That she found you after all these years but thats a lie. Its not some fairy tale story Kurt."

Kurt's face was crumpled into confusion, "But she said-"

"Whatever Mystique has told you is a lie."

"Rogue... please..."

"When you were born she gave you to Magneto. She let you be tortured as an _infant_. Magneto did genetic tests on you. As you screamed in pain, as you were deprived of true love and affection Mystique watched. Because she is _pathetic _and even to this day would kiss Magneto's feet in order to get into his good graces."

"Kurt... I..." Mystique didn't even know how to explain.

Kurt turned into a puff of smoke and was gone.

"You don't deserve to be happy Mystique. You don't deserve to bring everyone down with you in the spiraling drain that is your _life_."

"Don't become me."

"In spite of you, I have become a better person than you could have ever dreamed to be."

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Thanks to ace and ithinkimaninja for reviewing the last chap! ur awesome! also to XxXRogueXxX for adding me to alerts!

So its been a while eh? Well at least its a long chap. No Remy but still good? well technically he was in the flashback... ANYWAY haha :D He will be back next chapter.

Kinda dark? Does Mystique's revelation mean anything to rogue and Remys future? Oh and Logan and Rogue kissed again? Haha weird? And new X-man Bobby Iceman Drake... future story lines...? haha maybe


	13. Hurt

Scott tapped at my door the morning of Christmas Eve. He peeked his head in, "Lets go do something."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Anything. Anything to get out of this quiet house."

"Maybe Logan would like to go?"

"Are you two like an item or something?"

"NO!"

"Cuz... that would be weird."

"Thats gross."

"Okay, we're on the same page." He scratched at the back of his head.

"It just ain't right for him to be all alone."

"Yeah, I guess your right."

"Whats there to do today anyway? Its Christmas Eve, nothin is open."

"Uh... Walmart?"

Of course Walmart would be open. Never in a million years would I imagine that I would spend Christmas Eve with Logan and Scott mindlessy wandering through Walmart buying useless, but hilarious, junk. I hadn't even begun to purchase Christmas gifts for anyone which we were planning to swap on New Years since everyone was out of town with their families, so this day gave me the perfect opportunity to find some good deals. The girls were easy, Jean and Kitty got nail polish and hair supplies but I knew the boys would be a little harder. Video games would do the trick.

Walmart seemed like heaven. Loud and bustling, the complete opposite of the mansion. Ever since the Professor's has been stricken by a coma the mansion has gotten quiet. An ominous, saturating quiet. No one knows how to act or how to have fun anymore as if it was wrong. Bobby's snowy wonderland was our only salvation not that I took part in it. I still just mope and pray for him to come back. Remy, The Professor, Me... I wish we were all back to normal. But what is normal for us anyway?

"So Scott, I thought you'd be in Boston with Jean for the holidays."

"I was supposed to, but we... got into an argument."

"Must've been bad if she kicked out out of Christmas," I joked.

"I really don't want to talk about this. Especially with either of you."

"And they say I have the temper problem."

Scott ignored Logan's comment, "Oh look, that record store is going out of business. We could probably get some good prices for CDs. Rogue... Rogue? Helloooo..." Scott waived his hand in my face.

Something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. "I think... I think I just saw an angel." I was praying sure, the first time I had really begun to believe in a God, but seeing an angel right off the bat? This has got to be some sort of mirage.

"What?"

"Over in that church... I swear I just saw an angel fly into the alcove of the bell tower."

"Got nothin else to do," Logan shrugged.

"Yeah lets go check it out," Scott concurred.

We walked toward the church and saw Magneto flying out the doors. Our walking became running as we entered the building. My jaw dropped as my mirage was an actuality. A wounded angel lay collapse on a pew. I stared in disbelief, but the more logical Scott and Logan knew science was the answer: the man was a mutant.

"Aren't you Warren Worthington? The man runnin for mayor or something like that?" Logan asked as he lifted the man up.

"Yeah... Ow." He rubbed his head as if it would ease the pain. He really did look like a politician. Clean cut, blonde, blue eyes full of naive amazement.

"What are you doing messin around with a guy like Magneto bub?"

"I have never been involved with 'Magneto'. I don't even know who he is! All I know is that he knows my secret and will do anything to get me to join that team of his. First it was an invitation. Then it became more volatile. When I refused him today he attacked me! Who is this man?"

"He is a mutant like us," Scott elaborated. "But chooses to use his powers to destroy the human race thinking that mutants are superior."

"What is a mutant?"

"Didn't you ever wonder how you got those wings?" Logan asked, baffled.

"I... I know it had something to do with a mutation in DNA but I thought it was just me."

"The mutations come in different forms. You have wings, Magneto controls metallic substances, I shoot lasers out of my eyes... We even have a girl that could walk through walls."

"I could never have imagined..."

"We are the X-men. We were led by Professor Xavier. He brought us together. Him and Magneto have a long standing rivalry."

"So, I guess you're gonna try to get me to join your club just like him," He deducted.

"No we aren't like that. But isn't it nice to know there are more people out there like you?" I reassured.

"I guess. I won't have these wings for long if my father has anything to do with it."

"What do you mean?"

"Warrington Labs, a company my dad is funding as a branch of Warrington Industries, is looking into genetic mutations. Its top secert stuff. I think the government knows about it."

"Yeah, there are organizations that know about us. Like S.H.I.E.L.D," Logan huffed at the name.

"Well, they are working on a cure."

"A cure?" I barely have had my powers, its been less than a year, but as soon as I got them I knew it was a curse. A cure? Is it possible? "Wait... Worthington... That name. I remember where I have heard that before. Yeah, Worthington labs... they tried to reach me after I left Mississippi. I thought it was gonna be some genetic testing lab rat thing."

"It probably is," Logan declared.

"I'd hope not. I plan on being the first patient. I undergo the first procedure in a few days," Warren revealed.

"Why would you want to get rid of your mutant ability?" Scott thought it unfathomable though I'm sure he has thought about it often.

"Its not easy walking around with wings. Even harder walking around trying to hide them under an overcoat. Just like you and your sunglasses I guess."

"Does it really work?" I asked.

"Guess we will find out."

xxxx

"Cody, I'm glad you could make it."

"Anythin for you Ann," Cody smiled as he entered the mansion. "Now these digs I would trade Mississippi for."

"Yeah, its a bed," I joked sarcastically.

"I'm glad you flew me out, but can I ask what happened to the Cajun? Shouldn't he be going with you to this place?"

"I did somethin bad and he left."

"He won't stay mad at you for long. He loves you don't he?"

"I don't really know anymore." It was odd how our relationship changed. Cody was a crush but now as if knowing we can never truly be together, not even the slightest possibility, we became friends. I had been talking to him since Remy left. I could feel everyone else judging me. The X-men would never forget who I was and the X-men wouldn't understand what I'm about to do. Cody was the only one I trusted right now which seemed crazy.

"He'll be back trust me."

I was beginning to doubt that. I always figured he would have to come back eventually and I hoped that it would be to give me another chance, but now two weeks turned into three. "Yeah, I hope so. Anyway, lets get outta here."

"You losin you're southern accent. Your voice is makin me laugh."

"Oh hush!"

...

"Age: Fifteen... Sex: Female... Are you allergic to penicllin?"

"Nope," I answered automatically not really knowing if the occasion arose where I would find out if I was allergic to anything.

"Have you had any of these surgeries?"

"Just broken bones. If that ain't on there than no I haven't had any surgeries."

"Miss?" A nurse, or more likely a scientist, inturrupted my paperwork she had handed us five minutes ago. "We are going to do a basic exam: height, weight...Are you ready?"

"Sure." I didn't know if I could say I was one hundred percent ready. It seemed impossible this "cure". How could I be ready for such a life changing event?

"If you could just change into this..." I waved goodbye to Cody.

Could I really be normal? Leave this life behind. Start a new one. Thats what Remy wanted. He won't call me. Forgiveness doesnt seem like a near future occurance. Maybe he just wants to pretend I never existed. Maybe it would be easier for both of us.

After I finished changing in the restroom, I followed the nurse to a room around the corner where I saw a familiar face. "Warren?"

"Hey Rogue," he said casually zipped up his pants securing his belt.

His wings were in full bloom. A few days ago they were wounded and battered when we found him in the church. "Are you... what happened?"

"I couldn't do it."

"What? Why not? Isn't this what you always wanted?"

"My wings... growing up with them was a struggle of course. Being hidden from the world for so long... but now I realize that these wings are a gift. I am able to help people. Sometimes late at night I fly out and revel in becoming this vigilante. I can be a hero. These wigs are a part of me. Good or bad, its part of who I am. I can't reliquish it."

...

"You're done already?" Cody asked suprised when I walked in the waiting room fifteen minutes later.

"I couldn't go through with it."

"What? Why not?"

"I just... I don't know. I just can't."

"Ann? God..."

"What? Why are you so mad? I thought you would be... well I don't know."

"I am trying to pretend to be supportive but I can't. This procedure could have given us a chance."

"Us?"

"Yeah? I mean... I still want to be with you. And now there isn't any possibility."

"I thought we were just friends."

"Well now thats the only thing we can be."

"Why is it just about the physical? We could still be a couple without touch." Thats when I realized that I was going to get Remy back. When we were in New Orleans together he had no idea about my disability. And when we met again in New York he didn't care. He wanted to be with me anyway. He laid in bed with me that first night because he wanted to. He loved me and the physical stuff didn't matter. He was perfectly content playing with my hair all night. Just being with me. I was never going to find anyone like that. Remy was it.

"You know, I'm a good guy Rogue."

"I know you're a good guy, but you're not the guy. Its Remy. Its always gonna be Remy... I'm sorry."

xxxx

School started and Remy was still absent. But one day I saw a little piece of New Orleans.

"Belladonna? What are you doing here?"

"Oh... hi. I didn't think..."

"What are you doing here?"

"What are _you _doing here?"

"What do you mean what am I doing here? I go to school here? What are you doing here?"

"Evan said you weren't going to school today."

"Evan? What the hell is going on here-"

"Rogue? I didn't think you went to school today." Remy was standing in front of me. As if nothing had happened. Remy was here with Belladonna at my locker as if this was perfectly normal.

"I ditched my first three periods," I answered.

"Well, what are you doing here so late? Its past four."

"I had detention." As if that was important!

"Bella can you go wait in the car?"

"Sure..." she kissed him on the cheek as she left.

"Are you two together or something?"

"Yeah we are."

"Are you kidding me?"

"You don't really get a say in my life anymore." Stab.

"Well, Jesus Remy! It has only been a lil more than three weeks! You have already moved on?"

"Yeah, I have and maybe you should do the same."

Stab. Again. "Remy... you didn't even give me a chance to explain. And to be with Belladonna, flaunting her as if-"

"I know you lied to me. I know Belladonna wouldn't lie to me. Belladonna may be annoying sometimes but she loves me and would never do what you did Rogue. I'm staying in New Orleans. I'm staying with my family."

"Remy, whatever they told you is a-"

"Lie? Don't try to fix this Rogue. We're done. I have moved on and so should you."

I wanted to blurt out that it was Belladonna who was so mad that she was the one that put out the hit. Her father orchestrated it but it was Belladonna. And now... damn it. I wanted to tell him the truth but all that came out was: "Remy, I love you."

"I love you too." Another stab to my heart, the deepest one of all. "Goodbye Rogue... be safe.

I wouldn't see him again for more than a year.

* * *

Mysteryrogue: update! wat do you think!

Thanks to selene-v, , rogueXxX, ace, curious, and whoever else I missed for subscriptions/alerts/reviews, etc. cuz I deleted my email haha sorry but I do love u!


	14. Messed Up

"GET OUT OF MY ROOM! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!

"Rogue, I didn't know she was gonna be there okay? Remy just asked if I could pick him up from the airport! I didn't know she would come."

"But you knew about her."

"Well... yeah but-"

"That is _not _okay."

"I know it isn't okay. Its messed up, but what you did isn't exactly-"

"Just stop okay. Just leave me alone. You have no idea what is going on."

"What do you mean?"

"Belladonna is the one that wanted him dead and if anything happens between them she is still gonna want that outcome. She is crazy! And I just have to sit here and watch."

"Why didn't you tell Remy the truth?"

"He wouldn't believe me. He thinks Bella is some saint and... just forget it. Its none of your business, just leave me alone."

"Rogue, I-"

"Evan, she said to leave her alone," Kurt stepped in. "I only learned English a few years ago, but I think that means she wants you to leave her alone."

"Rogue-" Evan tried again.

"You chose your side okay. I thought we were friends too but obviously that doesn't matter as much." I didn't want to sound like a complete girl holding some grudge for no reason because trust me there were numerous reasons. I was just hurt. Its not because I'm a girl, its because I am a human being and somehow Evan refuses to believe that I could be subjected to pain, that I am this unbreakable Rogue that no one can hurt. "Please just leave me alone."

"Fine, but this isn't over. We are still talking about this!"

"GOODBYE EVAN!" I pushed Evan out of my room and pulled Kurt in before slamming the door. "Thanks for trying to help."

"Of course."

"You even kinda made a joke."

"Hah, yes. I try."

"I have been meaning to talk to you about something... I haven't talked to you since you got back from Germany and I just wanted to let you know that I'm here for you yah know? Anything you want to talk about. I know we aren't that close but I want us to be. Mystique messed us both up. Its not fair, but it happened. All we have is each other. I know exactly what your going through and not alot of people can say the same thing. So if you ever want to talk or not talk and just hang out I would love that."

"I would love that too. Thanks Rogue. I really appreciate that." And then we hugged.

...

Later on in the day I was helping to prepare the X-jet when Evan finds me to badger. "So, I heard you're going to Russia with Logan and Jean."

"Okay, you are literally stalking me now. Do you realize that? Can't you just leave me alone!"

"No, I can't because contrary to what you think right now, I am your friend. And I don't think going to Russia is the best idea."

"I'm going to Russia! So what?"

"Piotr is in Russia."

"And?"

"And you two have a history."

"Who told you that anyway? Because I sure didn't. We kissed, that was it. Whats the big deal?"

"Because your mad at Remy. I know you are mad at Remy but this isn't the right way to go about this. You're going to get hurt and Piotr doesn't deserve that."

"Okay, we may be friends but we definetly aren't the type of friends where you can tell me what is and isn't right to do in my life. I am not going to Russia to hook up with Piotr. And if I was, who cares! Remy is with Belladonna now. He wants me to move on? Then I will. At least I waited more than three weeks to be with someone else! Its been over six months so just shut up and stop being such a hypocrite. I'm not going to flaunt it in front of him either, like he did to me, which means you better not tell him. Its really none of your business okay? Remy can do whatever he wants and I can do whatever I want. There is no Evan in between."

"Should I turn the Danger Room into a boxing ring so you two pip squeaks can duke it out?" Logan joked as he entered the room with Jean. He was smiling at his own funny. Logan... in a good mood? "High tail it outta here bub so we can get this show on the road."

On the flight over, I thought about what Evan said. Is that what everyone thought? That I was going to Russia to get a rebound? I wasn't even going to go until Logan asked me and when I did decide to make the trip out there it wasn't because of my flailing love life. I needed to get away. I know I look like a sad puppy and I am trying everything to get out of this funk. And Piotr is my friend. His sister is sick and thats why we are going there. Do I think that without Remy maybe I would have been in a romantic situation with Piotr? Sure, its not too hard to imagine. But so what? I can imagine being with anyone. I can pretend that I am climbing Mount Rushmore. It doesn't mean that its going to happen or would have happened. Can't a girl just go across the globe to see a friend?

"Rogue! I'm glad to see you!" His skin turn into metal shine as he walked to toward in a few strides lifting me up once I got there. His cheek was cold as it pressed against mine.

"I'm glad... to see... you too... but... you're crushing me."

"OH! Sorry. I am just excited to see someone from the outside world I guess." I never thought about that. Piotr is here in Russia with his family non stop. All he has is work and family over and over again the same routine.

"I brought you some Hostess cupcakes."

"You are an angel. Maybe Illyana would be able to eat some. Then again maybe she would go crazy off the sugar."

"Oh come on, let the girl live a little." Piotr's sister was only five. She was the cutest little blonde blob I had ever seen and thats what she looked like. She was just this chubby blob with a tuff of blonde curly hair. Her and Piotr look completely different if you didn't know, it would be hard to say they were related. You can only tell when Piotr looks at her. Looking in his eyes you realizes that she is his life. Everything he does, he does for her. She lit up when he walked in the room, but her face muddled as we entered.

"Who are the strangers?"

"They are here to help you."

"We are gonna pinch you a little bit, but it will only be a few seconds I swear," Jean promised. Blood samples would be given to Moira back in New York who was staying with us permantly. She used the basement as her own personal lab as we had the same equipment as she did or even more advanced.

"Look, what my friend Rogue brought you..."

"What is it?" She took the cupcake out of its wrapping to examine it.

"Its a cupcake," I answered. She looked at me confused. "You eat it."

She sniffed it with her little nose, licked it, then smashed the cupcake in her mouth. We all busted up laughing. Logan tried to use this distracted time to get the blood we needed. "I don't like pinches."

"Me neither," I said. I was actually fine with needles, but there are somethings in life that pinch you and you can't do anything about it. That sounds like some southern proverb or something but it ain't. Its just life. Something I am so exposed to, but this little girl has barely begun life and can't live it to its full potential.

"It will only take a few seconds," Piotr said calmly. One of his hand held hers while the other held mine.

Illyana was on a little sugar high after her cupcake, we joked that the test results would say she is a diabetic. After the rush, she conked out taking her nap for the day. She was often weak and tired but when she was awake she was bursting with energy. But she couldn't go out and play like a normal kid. We don't know what this virus is, what it would do to anyone else or us for that matter. So far its not contagious to mutants but who knows.

We all wonder how Magneto could do something like this. What is scarier is that we still have no idea where he got this virus from, if there is more that he can use to infect anyone who gets in his way. That fact that he chose Illyana, a helpless little girl... its so sad. Disgusting. What is wrong with people? How could such evil exist in our world? Things like this make me refuse to believe in a god, yet he is the one I pray to. Piotr is still as hopeful as ever. Even though the virus is making his sister weaker everyday. Its scary to not know how things will happen, how it will end. All we know is that it will end and we can't do anything about it.

"Logan, I just thought about something."

"What is it Rogue?" Logan looked at me skepticaly

"Kurt... when Magneto was using him for experiments what if he infected him with the virus? Do you think..."

"Its possible. We would have to run some tests. But don't go blurting your mouth about it to him. The kid is too fragile after you-"

"He deserved to know the truth. I don't regret it. If I didn't tell him Mystique would have manipulated him just like she did me because you're right he is fragile."

"You could have done it another way. A more _sensitive _way."

"I'm not wrong." No one seemed to be on my side lately. I was only trying to help. I was trying to be honest with Kurt like I should have been with Remy. Infuriated with Logan's lecturing on how to be more sensitive (like he should talk) I walked out into the Russian night. I needed some time to be alone, but that was how it had been for a while now. How long can I stand it? Luckily Piotr didn't leave me out there long.

"Are you okay?" Piotr said as he came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my body.

"Piotr... what are you doing?"

"Nothing, I just came out to make sure if you were okay and thought my arms could be your blanket since you left your jacket inside."

His arms felt warm and comfortable around me, but it made me feel uneasy. I didn't know what to feel. "You have been kinda touchy feely since I got here."

"Yeah, I have." He bluntly admitted.

"How do you know I'm not with anyone?"

"Just because I am here in Russia it does not mean I don't hear the gossip of the Xavier mansion. It just takes a longer while to get here. I know you aren't with Remy anymore, but its still weird looking into your eyes."

I had almost forgotten about Remy's eyes. I just accepted them being there. Before it made me sad but now I look into them and I feel elated to have a piece of him, even though its something small. "I didn't know you were waiting in line."

"Well, I am. I was sad when I had to leave New York because the idea of us went away for you, but it didn't for me. I still have feelings for you after all this time... is that silly?"

"Not that silly." A simple kiss...

Was this Cody all over again? In a way it was, but with Piotr I could see myself being happy. Cody just couldn't understand what I was and he never would but Piotr knew my limits. And we could touch if we wanted to. Its not just the physical with him, but what am I doing? Why am I even thinking about this?

What is wrong with me?

I asked myself that question when Piotr and I fell asleep on the couch later that night. My head was on his chest as we squeezed together on the couch. My arm rested across his abdomen and I could help but compare Piotr's thick body to Remy sleek frame. The kiss earlier was nice, but Remy was more passionate... our lips always in synch. I shouldn't be here.

Why am I still thinking about him? Remy doesn't even want me. Sure he said he loved me but what does that mean? Right now it doesn't mean anything. He doesn't want to be with me. He can barely stand to be in my presence so much so that he moved to the other side of the country. I know I need to move on, but I want to do it in the right way. I don't want to jump into something I am not ready for.

xxxx

Calm down? CALM DOWN! I AM NOT GOING TO CALM DOWN! I can't believe that stupid twerp just said that to me. He is the one that needs to calm down. Everyone in that house is being an idiot!

Spring break of my junior year, time was flying by so fast. This endless routine of waking up, eating, going to school, eating, going to bed over and over again was my whole life. Finally spring break rolls around and I thought, "Hey, maybe Miami could be fun." And it was fun. We were snorkeling, and hanging at the beach, we even swam with dolphins which is all great fun yeah yeah until Lance and Bobby took advantage of Logan and Jean leaving the house for five seconds when they went out for groceries.. Drinks were poured and I knew it would be a bad idea and when I try to warn them Bobby tells me to calm down. So now I'm walking on the beach kicking the sand at my feet because I don't know what else to do. It was a bad idea and I knew I was right. Why won't people just accept that I am right?

"Rogue?"

I gasped. Literally. What were the chances that Remy could really be standing right in front of me? "Remy?"

"Your hair is longer," he stated.

"Yeah..." He hadn't seen my hair like this since New Orleans where my soft waves cascaded down my back. "Yours is a bit shorter." Why on Earth are we talking about hair? Not that I didn't notice. Remy's brown hair was buzzed short. I barely recognized him.

"Yeah, well... what are you doing here?" He asked as he rubbed his head.

"We... uh... everyone one from the mansion is here for spring break," I stammered.

"Oh, Evan never mentioned it..."

"Maybe he finally thought its a good idea to stay in his own business. He is such a gossip lately."

"You know... he told me about you trying to get rid of your powers. Why would you do that?"

"I didn't go through with it. I just thought... it'd be a good starting over point."

"Right, right."

"So what are you doing here?"

"I uh... see dat white house over dere?" He pointed down the beach to a brightly lit house. Very modern, sleek. "Some mob boss lives dere who thought it'd be a smart idea to rummage through de Guild's hide out. I'm here to tell him he was very wrong. He took somet'in from me. I want it back."

"Do you..." How can I ask this without sounding so... desperate. Sometimes when we would lie in bed I wouldn't move. I would stay completely still because I knew it was time for school, time for one of us to leave, and any slight movement would ruin the perfect moment. This was one of the perfect moments. After more than a year I see Remy. I'm still hopelessly in love and he is still hopelessly stubborn. But maybe this was a sign. Being reunited had to be a sign. "...need some help?"

"Yeah, I guess you're dressed for it." I looked down at my zebra striped bikini and long sleeved jean button-up shirt. "Because dats what you do right? You dress up for the job."

Just as a glimmer of hope flew my way, it just as easily flew away. "Remy..."

"No come on. I want to see what you do. How you do it."

"I don't want to."

"Come on Rogue. Just show me."

"Fine. If this is what you want." We walked down the shore a yard apart. This was what he wanted? As if I was some mindless, monsterous animal. Because thats what he thought I was, didn't he?

I walked up the stair case as Remy watched from a hidden position as I knocked on the door. "Come in," someone yelled from the otherside.

"Hi." I entered a poker game. Four sidekicks and the main boss at the head of the table. He was the one with the cigar. They always have the cigar.

"What's this? Entertainment for the night boys?" The boss bolstered.

"Yeah, actually I am." I strolled up to the boss, a slender man who was obviously too bullied in high school. But I guess he was getting the last laugh now. I grabbed his face and pretended to lean in for a kiss. He was intrigued, but his skin turned white at my touch... His veins purple and pulsating underneath the thinning layer of his skin... "I think you took something from The Prince of Thieves. He didn't like that very much." He fell to the floor. His goons were confused for a split second and that was all I needed. A kick, a punch, another jab, and a head butt to the final idiot who decided to charge me. It was all too easy. None of these fools had the training I did. They didn't have the speed or the brains either.

I was still going from my adrenaline rush when Remy walked in a few minute later. "Wow, you're good. You didn't even need a layout or not'in."

"Because this is all I'm good for right? This is what you think of me? This is what should have happened with you but it never did. It was never going to happen because I love you. I still love you. I am always going to love you. I loved you since that very first night Remy, I don't know why you can't talk to me! Lets make this right! Please!"

"You don't get it. Sure, I lie an' steal an' cheat but never wit you. Not'in' is gon make it right."

"You still love me! You're pretending you don't and your trying to hurt me with Belladonna and its working okay? But what you don't know is that it was Belladonna who wanted yo udead and she still would want you dead if she didn't have you. I should have told you the truth when I found out but I didn't because I thought you would be happy with Belladonna and that I could be happy but I'm not happy Remy. I want you back in my life."

"What do you mean it was Belladonna? Jean-Luc said..."

"Jean-Luc doesn't want to start any bad blood between the Guild and the Assasins not after just getting you back. He will tell you the truth. He knows that I love you Remy."

"Right," he said half heartedly.

"I'm sorry okay? Is that what you want to hear? Do you have to hear it? You should know that I am still madly in love with you and that I'm sorry for ever having hurt you. I'm sorry... Even if you're not in love with me with me anymore you should know that I'm sorry. I can't go on without you knowing that."

"You t'ink I don't... You t'ink I'm not in love wit you anymore?"

"You sure act like it. I haven't seen you in over a year. You don't talk to me and I get it. I hurt you and if you're not in love with me anymore its understandable but I need you to let me know because right now it is torture without you. Not knowing how you feel..."

"Of course I am still in love wit you." He grabbed my waist, thrusting me against him. His lips pressed against mine as our eyes closed in a dreamy state. We let ourselves fall on top of the poker table where each kiss was angrier than the last. Every touch, every scratch, every pull was full of wanting and hatred and love. We had missed each other so much and this was the only way we could express it. At one point we opened our eyes, Remy smiled and his lips gently kissed me

...

"What are you doing?"

"Gettin what I came here for." He reached into the inside coat pocket of the unconscious mobster for a bracelet. My bracelet. A simple silver chain with two matching hearts as the only charms. Each were diamond encrusted. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was Irene's, the only mother I ever knew, she gave it to me after my powers emerged. She said, 'There is two halves to every story. Two hearts all wanting the same thing.'

"He stole that from you? The bracelet I left at your house?" _So you'll never forget me. Ah'll hafta come back for it someday right? He kissed my hand..._

"Yeah."

"You kept it," I stated. I was trying to keep my suprise out of my tone of voice.

He answered as if I asked a stupid question, "Of course I kept it." He wandered over to the door.

"Where... are you going?"

"I'm de one dat gets to dissappear dis time. Not you." He was back to the distraught Remy, the Remy that didn't want to love me.

"You're just going to leave?"

"Yeah." I started to cry. I couldn't help it. "You still have my eyes," he noted.

"Yeah..."

And then he was gone.

xxxx

"What the heck? Seriously?"

"Rogue! We... uh..."

"Don't even try to make up an excuse Logan. I have seen way too much of both of you to pretend that I didn't see anything." I cannot believe I just saw Jean and Logan... doing a lot more than making out. My eyes literally burn. The only day I decide to go to the basement and I have to find them getting it on in the laundry room. Wow.

"Don't tell Scott," Jean begged as she looked on the floor for her remaining clothes.

"I don't want to tell anyone! You and Scott broke up before spring break and that was more than two weeks ago but this has to have been going on a lot longer than that. What the hell is wrong with you two! I think... I think I'm going to throw up."

"This isn't just about the sex. I'm... I'm in love with her Rogue so don't-"

"You... love me?" Jean was floating in a pile of daisies right now as if this were her school girl fantasy coming true. Technically she is a school girl. Ew.

"Okay, okay! Enough! This is disgusting enought as it is. Please stop with the sweet nothings about each other... oh my gosh... this is why I kissed you Logan! This relationship has been going on way longer than... because when I absorbed Jeans powers last Thanksgiving... Okay... Ew. Seriously. I think I am going to puke."

"Rogue," they both tried to speak and knowing that they were going to try and reason with me to keep their secret a secret, I ran into the Professor's room which is why I was here in the first place.

Sigh. It was brisk in here which was enough to cool me down and calm me down. I paced the room a bit before taking a seat next to the Professor's comatose body. "Hey Professor...Ugh... I uh... know I haven't been around lately. Or ever." Okay why does it feel like I am talking to God? "I just need someone to talk to I guess. Somewhere quiet where I can just be in my head. Everything is so messed up. I have no idea what I'm doing. I thought seeing Remy in Miami was a sign, but then he just left. He is treating me like a cigarette. He trys to go cold turkey but it doesn't work out and just wants a taste. And that is a complete mind fu...freak. Because I love him and I know he loves me. I told him the truth and he still doesn't want me. Evan said he doesn't want to talk to me. He doesn't forgive me, he doesn't do anything. If he just wants me gone... maybe thats what I should be. He won't trust me. And why is he the only thing I care about? I'm a junior in high school. I should be worrying about finals and going to prom but I can't worry 'bout that stuff because I'm still the lonely goth girl that doesn't belong. Everything is so messed up... I don't know what I should be doing..." I lost control of my emotions again. Tears trickled down my cheek as I collapsed my upper body against the Professor's bed. My arms wrapped around my head as I cried into the sheets. My pinky finger grazed against the Professors hand and I felt the draining sensation. I looked up and the Professor opened his eyes just before my close and everything went white.

* * *

Mysteryrogue: Edward's stupid lamb, curious, Asilanna, and ace for reviewing/subscriptions. i know i forgot some people :( but i appreciate you guys as well!

Long chap, lots happened. Russia... then Miami where Rogue runs into Remy... finds out about Logans affair with Jean. And now Rogue is dead. lol jk idk hahahaha jk!

Keep reviewing! I love the feedback :)


	15. Nothing is Easy

"Professor..."

"Good morning Rogue."

"This is... weird." The Professor looked puzzled and I elaborated, "I'm so used to waking up to Remy after I blackout." How sad is that?

"Well, its just me." He still looked the same. Wrinkles filled with wisdom and a slight smile that makes you feel everything is going to be okay.

"Yeah, you. What happened? Why does it feel like a hurricane in my head?"

"I must thank you for pulling me out of my coma. You drained enough energy for me to finally win the battle in my own head. Sorry about the headache."

"I'm glad you're back, that you're alright. We need you around here."

"I think you all did well without me. Most of you anyway." I wonder who he meant. I know I was a mess. "Anyway... you woke up just in time for school."

"Its Monday all ready?" Where have I been... these randoms comas have to be doing something to my body. I'm suprised I even wake up.

"Yes."

"I wake up from a coma and you tell me to go to school? Seriously?"

"Seriously," he mocked.

"Fine. I could use the distraction anyway." I almost felt like sticking my tongue out at him in a childish manner but instead I just smiled graciously because he was back. And whats better, he was his normal self. I'm glad I could do something good, for once.

"Hey, Rogue. You're awake." Jean was fake smiling. God, I hated that.

"I didn't tell him yah know, but he probably already knows. He knows everything."

"Well were you thinking about it?"

"No, why would I be thinking about you and Logan after just waking up from a coma? As if I have nothing else going on in my life and your shenagans are the only thing to keep me occupied? I'm not going to say anything. I'd rather have this blow up in your face all on your own."

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you and Scott break up anyway?"

"He was just... too smothering. I couldn't take it anymore."

"Scott isn't some psycho stalker. If he was actin like a gum on a shoe its probably cuz he could feel you slippin farther away. What he doesn't know is that you were slipping farther into your romance with Logan when Scott loves you. He has always loved you Jean. I knew it from the first time I met you guys. He secretly pined for you while you were messin around with that fool Duncan and when he finally tells you how he feels you both dive into this whirlwind romance and it was sweet. It was hopeful. And now you've just ruined it. What is wrong with you? You are one of those dumb girls that breaks up with the sweet nice guy after complaining about all the losers. I know Logan may be something you have never tried before, but you're just bored. Its sad really. Logan is a good guy, sure, but he isn't the right guy for you. So now please get out of my way and stop including me in your love life because I am still working on mine."

"I..."

"Bye." I never realized how much I admired Scott and Jeans relationship. They made everything a bit cheerier knowing that something so cliche could be a happy reality. Something that me and Remy have to struggle with. I was slowly losing hope. I was becoming numb without him, but then miraculously he was walking down my street.

"Remy?" I called out, but he didn't answer. He passed the gate to the mansion just as I was exiting it. "Remy, what... what are you doing here?" I ran ahead of him and he brushed against me and kept walking. "Remy..." I stepped in front of him so that I would be impossible to ignore and he pushed me. HE PUSHED ME! I fell to the ground, "Did you just... You just pushed me! What the hell!" I know he was still mad at me, but I hadn't seen him since Miami and now he pushes me? "Where the heck do you think you're going?" The only house beyond Xavier's was Warren Worthingtons. Ironic that Warren didn't know there were others like us.

"He is under a spell."

I turned to find Magneto. In front of my house following Remy as I was. "What are you talking about? What did you do to him?"

"Nothing, its Mesmero. As if I am always the bad guy."

"You _are_ always the bad guy."

"He has got to be around here somewhere..." Magneto scanned the street and focused in on a light post a block away. His arm reached out and the metal pole reacted. It swirled and wrapped an invisible body. We ran to the scene. "What are you doing here Mesmero? What are you after?"

The man's invisibility became less apparent. "You will be punished by Apocalypse. You will..." The strangers eyes faded...

I looked back to find Remy's collapsed body lying in the middle of the street. I ran to him and held him in my arms, "Remy?"

He looked up at me, "Rogue... where... where am I?"

"You're at the mansion... or in front of the mansion."

"I..."

"What were you doing here?"

"Who knows how long he has been under Mesmero's control," Magneto interjected.

"I don't remember." He lifted himself to his feet without my help and walked away as if nothing.

xxxx

"Rogue, what are you doing all cooped up in here?" Evan asked as he entered my dark room.

"Sleeping," I grunted.

"Its two o'clock in the afternoon."

"So? I'm tired."

"Well, we gotta go."

"Where?"

"We are heading to New Orleans."

"What?"

"Didn't anyone tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Remy invited us all to his football tournament in Louisiana."

"Who is us?"

"The whole mansion."

"Me?"

"Well, you do live here don't you?"

"But he wants... _me_... to go?"

"If he didn't want you to come then he would have told me so."

"Do you know... what he is feeling about me?"

"Why?"

"Well... we... In Miami... he didn't tell you anything?"

"No... he was in Miami? After you and Magneto saved Rem from Mesmero, he stayed in town for a bit and we hung out and he told me to invite the mansion to this game of his so we are going."

The hint of possibility faded. I sulked back into bed, "I don't think he wants me to come."

"Of course he does."

"And what would give you that idea?"

"Oh my god... stop being such a girl! He invited the whole house which means you." Its not the fact that he would invite me or not, its how he would act once I got there. Did he forgive me? Did he want to be with me? Or did he just want to be friends, because honestly that might be impossible. Too much time has passed between us, its going to be all or nothing. Which I was ready for.

"Okay, okay. I will pack my things."

...

I love how everything in the south is a little more hard core. It seems as if all of Louisiana is here to watch this football game and I can honestly say I feel as much eagerness as they do. I watched Remy do his best and have it pay off. And as if deja vu struck me, Remy found me after the game. The X-men congratulated Remy as he made his way up the bleachers. They waved goodbye knowing Remy's connection to me but they crept around like paparazzi trying to listen in.

"Rogue, I'm glad you made it." As he took off his helmet, his longer hair dripped out.

"Are you? Are you glad?"

"Yeah, I am."

"You played great out there."

"Yeah, my coach got a bunch of scouts here to watch me but I just do this football thing for fun."

"Its great though... really great." When was this awkward phase going to end... I still couldn't figure out which way this conversation was going to end up at. A few hours ago I was in New York and now I'm here with Remy right in front of me. It all seemed so fast.

"Jean-Luc told me de truth. He was just looking out for me and I get dat. Belladonna and I broke up, but dat was even before I found out de truth. I was just wit her for the familiarity I guess..."

"Are you happy?"

"Not really... I miss you."

"I miss you too." Those words seemed to mend everything.

"But... I don't know about us Rogue. I feel like... Its been a while. Its been a long time."

"It has been a really long time, but Remy I love you. One day we are gonna get into a fight about something stupid because we are both so damn-"

"Stubborn."

"Yeah, but we will kiss and make up and everything will be okay because we love each other."

"We can't just jump back into who we were Ro."

"No we can't... we're different people now. I just need to know that you trust me."

"You lyin to me... everyt'ing that happened between us was a real hard thing to get over Ro. You know... I was in New York de other week to see you. To talk to you. And when I got out of Mesmero's trance I doubted everything. Again. I'm so sick of doubting. I'm sick of being confused when de only thing I know for sure is dat I love you."

"We can do this."

"We are too stubborn not to. I never lost sight of you Rogue. I just figured we were lost for a little while. At first I was mad, sure, but later it was just a sadness."

"Nothing like this is ever gonna happen again."

"I know. I never took back my marriage proposal yah know."

"And I never said no." I pulled the chain that hung around my neck on it was Remy's engagement ring that he had given me on a night just like tonight. "I never took it off. I never left you Remy. We _can_ do this."

He smiled, "We should start slow. Maybe dats how we should have started all along. How 'bout I take you on a date? A week from today in New York at dat pizze place we love?"

"I would love that."

"Rogue, I love you." We kissed and he fell to the ground. His skin turned pale as his limp body fell. I screamed. Jean-Luc came running as did the X-men who saw what happened.

Because nothing can be that easy.

Jean-Luc ran to his son. He put his ear to Remy's chest, "His heart stopped beating! Call an ambulance! Remy come on son... Remy wake up..."

Remy, wake up.

* * *

Mysteryrogue:

Thanks to rogueXxX, CajunSpice1043, Asillana, clueless c, romy2.0 and anyone else I missed who reviewed/added me to alerts! You guys are really awesome. Its nice to know that what you write is read and well received :D

Special shout out to Raven34link who is catching up haha who knows when this will be read but thanks for your feedback! Update: caught up. haha good job.

So Remy and Rogue are back together... kinda. :/ Short chap. What'd you think? :D

I am about ready to wrap this story up! It will be the first one I have finished haha sad but true so thanks for sticking around.


	16. Fairy Tale Realized

Why can't I ever have the happy fricken ending, huh? Where is my god damn fairy tale! Why is it never ME! Remy is gone and now I am in this hellhole.

_"You just left me? You left me lying on the floor Rogue."_

_"... I know."_

_"THE FLOOR."_

_"I KNOW OKAY!"_

_"What is wrong wit you chere!"_

_"I DON'T KNOW!"_

_"You didn't even make sure I was okay? You just left. TO ANOTHER STATE!"_

_"I know! I know! Remy... we can't do this. I was wrong. We can't be together okay?"_

_"What because of dis stupid lil coma! PLEASE!"_

_"A lil coma? This is never going to work out! This is who I am and-"_

_"SHUT UP! ROGUE JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!"_

_"..."_

_"I'm fine, okay?"_

_"I know."_

_"You know, you know, you know. You know what you don't know? Is dat we are in love wit each other damn it! Even though we tried, we just can't be apart okay? Why can't you just accept that."_

_"I love you Remy but my powers..."_

_"Who cares! Just one more obstacle dat makes us strong cherie. You better not stand me up tomorrow night. Otherwise I will come find you and make you kiss me. I swear Rogue."_

_"That isn't even funny Remy LeBeau. You could die. Actually you did die."_

_"Yeah, well you could never get de job done anyway. You suck."_

_"I will be at the stupid pizza shop okay?"_

_"Good, cuz you're wit me for better or worse."_

I did stand him up. And that was two days ago. I was jumped in an alley and I woke up in this hellhole with some idiot shooting a gun at me as if I were his target practice. Logan is chained up next to me and hasn't woken up since his last beating. Not that it would matter if he was awake, our ankles and wrist are pinned so tightly it would be impossible to escape. The bullets fly off me, something I am glad I have possessed, but how did they know when I just found out myself? Maybe they didn't care.

The man in charge of this operation was Boliver Trask a S.H.I.E.L.D agent who has had a long standing history with mutants. He is one of the few that know of our existance and is obviously using that to his advantage.

"What do you want with us anyway!" I yelled out.

"I plan on having you as my little lab rats."

"I didn't know S.H.I.E.L.D let you mainstream."

"They didn't. They were holding me back."

"You know, I have somewhere to be." What would Remy do? Was this finally it? Was I going to die here and never be with him again? So many thoughts and questions run through my mind. I was on my way to meet Remy. I could have been blissfully eating a pineapple and ham pizza but no. Trask comes in, as if fate, to ruin my life. Everything is always getting in the way.

I looked over to Logan. A bullet pushed out of his forehead and his body jolted back to life. "Ah, good you're awake Wolverine. Now I can show you both my newest invention that will help protect the world... I introduce to you: The Sentinal."

A loud mechanical noise buzzed behind us. A blinding light flashed from behind us... Its mechanical voice spoke, "Mutant."

"I think we should get out here Rogue," Logan huffed.

"I agree." My bullet proof body must have been absorbed from Ms. Marvel all that time ago. The latency could be beneficial now that I know what I have. Ms. Marvel had amazing strength and could fly... this could be nice. I focused all my energy into pulling free from these chains. I use muscles I never thought of before and within a few moments of pulling I break free. I punch out the wall where the chains are holding up Logan and he is ready as soon as he falls to the ground. I lift him up and fly through the air to reach the Sentinals gigantism. I fling Logan at the robot where sparks fly as he slashes through the metal. Three more Sentinals light up making this tougher as it continues. Just then, the X-men come to our aide with there laser eyes, teleportation, and flying spears made of bone. Kitty waves as she walked through one of the Sentinals foot and shorts out its mechanical systems. Remy walks in casually.

I fly over to him, "I'm glad you came."

"I told you that if you stood me up I would come find you."

"Well, I'm glad you did."

"Thought you could use some help."

"Just a little."

"You still owe me a date."

"Let me just kick this guy's ass first."

xxxx

"Good morning sunshine."

"Mmm..." I pulled a pillow over my head.

"Come chere, you don't want to be late for your first day of senior year do you?"

"Sleepy..." I grunted.

"I know you aren't much of an early bird Ro but we gotta go we gon be late."

"Come lay down with me."

"...damn. How could I argue with dat?"

I smiled as Remy opened up the blankets and slid up next to me. "See isn't this much better than going to school?"

"Seniors rarely go to school anyway."

It was the best feeling in the world, having him next to me. His warmth pressed up against me as he wrapped is arms around me. He lightly kissed my neck and I realized that this was the rest of our lives. "Lets just stay in here all day."

"That sounds good...You know we still have to get married. Not today or tomorrow but sometime soon chere."

"I'm lookin forward to it." Nothing else mattered. Not the past or the present, but only the future. Our future. Everything was perfect, everything was falling into place. I could have a happy ending. I could have a fairy tale.

"Anna, I love you."

"I love you too Remy."

* * *

Mysteryrogue:

Short chap but its the last one :(

Well, its over. happy endng :D thank you all for reading and reviewing my story as well as adding me to your subscriptions. Also a thanks to my continuous readers for sticking with me throughout the story and for any future readers.

I have a new story idea, but I havent finished the story line in my head. Hopefully I will write again soon now that I have more few time after the nxt few weeks. :) hope you will support my future endeavors.


End file.
